


Oathkeeper

by TheMysticSpyral



Category: Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy X, Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Best Friends, Bisexual Female Character, Bisexuality, Blow Jobs, Brothels, Casual Sex, Childhood Sweethearts, Coming of Age, Cowgirl Position, Cunnilingus, Destiny Islands (Kingdom Hearts), Dream Sex, F/F, F/M, Female Roxas (Kingdom Hearts), Female Solo, Friends With Benefits, Friendship/Love, Hollow Bastion (Kingdom Hearts), Large Breasts, Large Cock, Masturbation, Missionary Position, Open Relationships, Oral Sex, Porn With Plot, Prostitution, Quickies, Threesome - F/F/M, Twilight Town (Kingdom Hearts), Unrequited Love, Woman on Top
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-16
Updated: 2018-07-02
Packaged: 2019-01-18 09:37:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 24,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12385602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMysticSpyral/pseuds/TheMysticSpyral
Summary: Three childhood friends were forced to grow up worlds apart from one another. Four years later, their lives are about to change, and their paths shall intersect once more...





	1. Kairi

**Author's Note:**

> Betaed by NintegaDeStellar and Mabus101. Additionally, ArdenWolfWatcher's continuous support and feedback with getting this idea off the ground cannot be understated.

_“Y’know, I was a little afraid at first, but...now I’m ready. No matter where I go or what I see, I know I can always come back here. Right?"_  
_“Yeah, of course!”_  
_“That’s good...I just can’t wait. Once we set sail, it’ll be great…”_

 

“Uh, hey...Kairi?”

 

Kairi blinked rapidly as she was torn out of her daydream, sharply inhaling the ocean breeze. Turning her head to her right, she was greeted by Rikku, looking up at Kairi with her gleaming emerald eyes and a warm smile.

 

“Oh, uh...hey, Rikku,” Kairi mumbled, pulling her lips up into a weak but polite smile. “What’s goin’ on?”

 

Rikku shrugged. “Ohhh...I dunno.” She rested herself onto the same rail that Kairi had slumped herself on, overlooking the ocean stretched before them. It was a sight both girls were all too familiar with, but one neither might see the same way again.

 

“I just saw you out here by the rail. Seemed really lonely, s’all.”

 

“I don’t know. I guess…” Kairi fluttered through her mind to come up with an alibi…“I guess I’m just trying to take a good mental image, y’know?” She looked back out to the horizon, small rocky islands scattered across the water, other boats passing by the ferry. “We’ve been riding this ferry t’school for what feels like forever. And now we...don’t need to, not anymore.”

 

“Eh, I wouldn’t get too hung up. That only means there’s even more stuff we get to see, not just the same ferry ride two times a day, right?”

 

Kairi huffed. “I guess…”

 

“‘Sides, no matter where we all go, this place won’t be goin’ anywhere, right?”

 

_No matter where I go, and no matter what I see, I know I can always come back here…_

 

Kairi shook her head and cleared her throat. “Y-yeah. That’s...that’s actually a nice way of putting it…”

 

“Any- _hoooo_ ,” Rikku interjected in a singsongy tone. The blonde moved herself to face Kairi, propping her elbow up on the rail. Kairi  couldn’t help but smile, in spite of her mood. 

 

“Enough on the past’n all that junk. Me and some others’re gonna go get some drinks later tonight, have a little girls-night-out grad party of our own before the real thing this weekend. You wanna come with?”

 

Kairi smiled, but shook her head. “Sorry, I just need a little time to rest, a little me-time, y’know? I should be good for the big party on Saturday, though.”

 

Rikku squealed with glee, bouncing with excitement. “Ohhh great, I’m glad’t hear it! It’s gonna be sooo much fun. Oh, have you snagged a date for it? The more, the merrier, am I right?”

 

Kairi’s face fell slack, her polite facade crumbling. Rikku was quick to recognize her distress, and her big green eyes widened in worry.

 

“I-I-I mean, n-not to put on pressure. I-If you don’t have a da... _person to bring_ , that’s totally fine. I mean, sooo many people’ll already be there, y’know?”

 

Kairi bit her lip and gently shut her eyes. She raised her hand up to Rikku in assurance. “No, no, don’t worry about it, Rikku.”

 

“Are you sure?” Rikku asked her, tone deep with sincere anxiety. “I really didn't mean… I mean, I know it isn't easy to get a boyfriend since we are at an all-girls school. I'm sorry if any of that was insensitive or anything..."

***

 

Selphie knew that Kairi was thinking about _him_ again.

 

She was watching Kairi from afar, through the window of the seating area of the ferry. Staring off into space, as usual. Kairi’s back was facing her, but Selphie sighed, knowing full well that her friend was sporting the same lifeless, sullen expression she’d been wearing for a year now.

 

She sent Rikku to try and chat her up for a while, see if the blonde’s infectious spirit could be rubbed off onto her morose friend. For a moment, it looked like it worked, and Kairi seemed to be lifted a bit, even if it was to look polite. Then, Selphie grew dismayed as all of that came crashing down after one thing Rikku seemed to say. To her credit, Rikku looked as though she was desperate to backpedal whatever it was she said, but it looked as though the damage was done. Kairi drifted her gaze back to the ocean and Rikku sauntered off, back into the seating area to meet back up with Selphie.

 

“Sooo uhhh...” Rikku murmured, blushing. “Good news is, Kairi’s still down for the party Saturday.”

 

Selphie turned back to face Rikku, taking off her sunglasses. “What’s the bad news?”

 

“Well, she’s gonna sit out our plans tonight. Her mind’s just somewhere else’r somethin.’” Rikku’s eyes wavered from Selphie’s. The petite blonde fiddled one of her braids as she smiled bashfully. “Umm..bonus-bad news, I mentioned bringing a date for Saturday and she got all moody and stuff again."

 

Selphie sighed. “She's thinking about that guy again."

 

Suddenly, Rikku perked back up. "Ohhhh! So there _is_ a guy! Is he cute?"

 

Selphie sighed again, holding back her irritation. “I...wouldn’t know, Rikku. He moved away years ago. Kairi’s suddenly gotten all hung up on ‘em all of a sudden.”

 

“Oh, you mean the guy who’s named after me?”

 

“What? No, he wasn’t named—n-no, there was...some other boy, too.”

 

Rikku glanced back over to Kairi through the window, squirming in the velvety upholstery of the ferry seating.

 

“Huh. That’s news t’me. I thought you said there were, like, five of you, growing up, right?”

 

“I mean, I thought that too,” Selphie explained, slumping in her seat. “But...about a year ago, she started getting hung up about this sixth kid, one that none of us remembered.”

 

“So...what? Did she just make him up?”

 

Selphie winced, squirming in her seat as she crossed her legs. “N-no, see, that’s the weird part. As soon as Kairi brought him up, we all did remember him, but...I don’t know, it just didn’t matter as much to the rest of us. Just someone who just kind of blinked out of your life when you were younger, y’know?” Selphie glanced back over at Kairi, which Rikku did as well.

 

“But Kairi...she told me that she and him made this promise with each other before he vanished.”

 

Rikku looked back over to Selphie, putting her hand to her chin and grinning. “I dunno...sounds a little romantic, if you ask me.”

 

Selphie opened her mouth to speak, but held her tongue. She knew Rikku didn’t know the full story. She merely smiled and changed the subject, beginning to talk about the night ahead of them, and how they would be getting a hold of Yuna and Paine. Selphie couldn’t help but glance back over to Kairi from time to time, and going back to Rikku only heightened her dismay. It wasn’t Rikku’s fault, but as she pleasantly smiled at Selphie, the brunette couldn’t help but be reminded of the bubbly demeanor Kairi used to have.

 

Whether or not the story between Kairi and some long-forgotten boy was a romantic tale of star-crossed lovers, it wasn’t worth it if it sapped the light out of Kairi’s heart. Kairi had to find a way to get out of the muck she’s been in. It broke Selphie’s heart to see such a beloved friend wallowing in such misery.

 

***

 

_“You know what’s funny? I looked everywhere for you, but you were with me all along…I was lost in the darkness, I couldn’t find my way. As I stumbled through the dark, I started forgetting things—my friends, who I was. The darkness almost swallowed me…”_

 

Kairi desperately wanted to be able to hate him.

 

She sat curled up on the sofa in the living area of her apartment. The TV might as well have been playing static for as much attention she gave it. She lay there, motionless, her eyelids heavy and her breaths long and meditative.

 

She should have taken up Selphie’s offer. Should have gone out, gotten herself out of this stupor. Nothing good came out of moping around, feeling sad about herself. But she didn’t feel sad. She didn’t feel anything. That little nerve of discontentment first took root four years ago, after Riku left, but had now overwhelmed Kairi completely.

 

 _“But then, I heard a voice—_ your _voice._ You _brought me back.”_

 

For the longest time, she had always thought it was just Riku who had gone away. Most had assumed he and his family just moved, but whatever the reason, by the time summer ended and Kairi and Selphie were sent out to boarding school, Riku became little more than a nostalgic childhood memory as Kairi made her way into high school.

 

That last summer, the one before Riku vanished and everyone else were sent their separate ways, it was sad, but everyone told them it was just a fact of life. People come and go, life goes on. All that nonsense about building rafts and exploring other worlds was just meant to be kid’s stuff. For the most part, Kairi went along with this. She had no objection.

 

 _“Well, let’s go!”_  
_“You can’t go!”_  
_“Why not?”_  
_“Because...it’s way too dangerous!”_

 

As the years went on, Kairi could never shake off that sense of unease, that nagging feeling that seemed to follow her everywhere, that she couldn’t describe with words. It started as an itch she couldn’t scratch, but now hung over her like a cloud of despondency she could never escape from. She grew far less outgoing than she once was, rarely interacting with her own roommates. She could never keep a relationship steady with a guy for more than a few dates before she grew anxious again, and pushed them away, unwilling to connect further.

 

_"That’s it! Our hearts are connected, and the light from our hearts broke through the Darkness. I think that’s what saved me…No matter how deep the Darkness, a Light shines within. I guess it’s more than just a fairy tale…”_

 

And she desperately wanted to blame _him_ for it, blame him for making her feel this way.

 

Kairi winced, feeling slightly nauseous. She left her seat from the sofa and darted to the bathroom behind her, resolving to take a shower. She shut the door behind her, just in case Selphie or Yuna came home earlier than planned. She looked upon herself in the mirrored door behind her after she undressed.

 

As the years went on, Kairi had matured, as young girls do, but at the expense of that childlike affection that most had known her for. She grew tall, taller than most of the other girls, with long, slender limbs, curvy hips and a generous bust. Kairi’s face had gone away with the baby fat of her past, granting her the more striking features of a young woman. Her lips were full, but rarely smiled, her formerly vibrant red hair over time grew to a darker auburn hue, maybe as some sort of bad joke by nature over her morose spirit. Her sparkling sapphire irises were the last bits of evidence of a once happier spirit, but even they were hindered by slightly sunken eyes.

 

Kairi stepped into the shower, and shut her eyes as the tepid water sprayed down onto her face.

 

About a year ago, the memories had started to trickle back. Every now and again she would see something, or smell something, and her mind started to wander. When she looked out into the sunset, the same one she and Riku would look out to with the prospect of exploration and adventure on their minds, but more than ever she remembered another boy there with them, sitting next to her. Chatting about hopes and dreams with her, building the raft and competing with Riku. No one else, not even Selphie, seemed to remember him, and even Kairi herself couldn't even conjure up his face. As the shower water ran through her hair, she felt as though his name was right on the tip of her tongue...

 

_“...I didn’t want to just forget about you, Sora. I couldn’t.”_

 

Kairi’s heart felt heavy as she took long, heaving breaths, the stream of water making her feel numb. She cupped her hands and threw the build-up of water into her face, but she felt no more alert than before.

 

That lack of closure was why Kairi wanted to hate the boy, if he even existed at all. She wanted to hate him for putting her in this despondent rut, for making her feel so frustrated, so heartbroken after all this time. She was eighteen, an adult. She wasn’t supposed to let herself get crestfallen over unrequited schoolgirl crushes. Kairi had been stuck in the past when she felt that she should be readying herself for her future.

 

 _“Take this...it’s my lucky charm, be sure to bring it back to me!”_  
_“Don’t worry, I will.”_  
_“Promise?”_  
_“Promise.”_

 

But as the memories grew clearer, Kairi couldn’t bring herself to hate him, because there was a warmth, a tenderness to those memories that she didn’t want to let go, not until she could recall the whole thing.

 

 _"Don’t ever forget...wherever you go, I’m always with you…_ "

 

Kairi flung her hand to the handle and shut off the water. As she opened her eyelids, her eyes stung, whether it be from the water or if she had been crying, she could not tell. Stepping out and drying herself off, Kairi threw on a robe hanging on the wall and resigned to turn in for the night, but before Kairi could even take a step out of the bathroom she was startled by the sudden burst of the front door, followed by the rowdy shuffling and giggling of at least two people who clearly had not adjusted from booming clubs and bars.

 

Kairi reached for the light-switch, flipping off the fan and light to the bathroom, and inched open the door a crack as she saw Selphie stumbling towards the couch in the living room, ensnared with a guy so tall she had to stand on her toes in high heels to keep her lips locked with his.

 

 _Irvine Kinneas_ , Kairi recognized. Selphie’s long-time sweetheart. Even without the heated chemistry between the two to put it together, Irving’s bro-cowboy shtick was a giveaway. His broad shoulders were framed with a heavy brown duster coat, his long brown hair topped with a black wide-brimmed hat.

 

Both their hands scavenged each other’s bodies. Irvine’s rough palms glided up and down Selphie’s hips, which her gold sequin dress shimmered as her body shivered at his touch. A loud thud was heard as Selphie pushed Irvine’s coat off his shoulders and down onto the floor, and before long her hands drew down to his crotch, fondling his over-sized belt buckle.

 

“Hmmhmm...M-my room’s...right over...there...by the...bathroom…” Selphie said breathlessly in-between kisses, causing Kairi to cautiously grip her hand on the doorknob, ready to shut the door.

 

Irvine snickered. “I dunno. I think the scenery’s fine as is…”

 

Selphie giggled as Irvine dove down, necking her. “B-But Kairi, she...s-s-she’s sleeping…” Her reasoning wavered as she grew more bubbly and delirious to Irvine’s affections, with Irvine cradling her jawline in both hands, and for a moment she appeared lost in his brown eyes. He hunched over and brought the two of them into a deep, passionate kiss, and Kairi could hear Selphie swoon through locked lips, and rolled her eyes as she watched her friend raise one leg behind her, knee bent, as she wrapped her arms around her boyfriend’s neck.

 

“Right here’d be better than your room, what with these cheap walls in here.” He reasoned with a husky tone. Kairi rolled her eyes again. He wasn’t wrong.

 

“‘Sides...I’d have no issue if she wanted t’join in…”

 

Irvine’s comment caught Kairi off guard. She suppressed a gasp of surprise, her grip on the handle causing the door to swivel, though thankfully not in any way that would gain attention. Irvine spun Selphie around, with him still in her embrace. She giggled, lifting both her feet off the ground.

 

“Y’were tellin’ me before how she needed to get laid anyway, right?” Irvine joked, prompting a shudder in Kairi across the way. “I mean, if that’d be alright…”

 

Kairi squeezed her thighs together, quivering her lips as her breath grew ragged. Irvine’s suggestions made Kairi’s skin tingle, made her grow far more heated than the hot shower ever could.

 

Selphie gave up on Irvine’s belt and reached further down, groping the outline of Irvine’s hard-on through his trousers. He groaned through his teeth upon his girlfriend’s touch.

 

“I don’t like being misquoted, sweetie,” she whispered, massaging Irvine’s building erection through his pants. “What I said was, Kairi needs to be made love to, not ‘get laid’.”

 

Kairi unfastened her hold on the doorknob, now damp from the perspiration along her palms. She unfastened the knot holding her robe. It was getting way too stifling.

 

“ _‘Sides_ ,” she said, playfully mocking Irvine’s country drawl. Irvine had helped Selphie with his buckle, while she was now fiddling with the button fly of his trousers. “I’m not really down with having to share you. Least right now.”

 

As Selphie worked to unbutton Irvine’s fly, he reached down to her shoulders, gently pushing down the straps of her dress. Selphie paused to assist him, reaching behind her to unzip the back of her dress, causing it to fall to two pieces at her sides. As she was squirming her arms out of her straps, revealing her bright yellow bra, Irvine worked to finish unbuttoning his fly. Selphie dug her curled fingers into Irvine’s waistband and shucked his trousers and boxers down to his knees in one fell swoop.

 

The couple shared an awkward laugh together as Selphie narrowly evaded getting slapped in the face by Irvine’s unbound prick. Kairi had never seen Irvine’s penis before, but based on Selphie’s theatrics through the walls dividing their bedrooms, she had always assumed it was huge. It was certainly long, at a good ten inches, but Kairi was most astonished with its girth. Selphie could barely close her grip as she pumped her boyfriend’s shaft, looking up at him with wide, excited eyes.

 

“You think you’d be up for that?” She asked, planting a kiss at the base of Irvine’s shaft.

 

Irvine chuckled, working the buttons to his vest. “Up for what?”

 

“Kairi, you big goof.” Selphie drew out her tongue, darting the tip around Irvine’s engorged head, causing Irvine to gasp. “I’ve seen how you get when she’s around.” Irvine chuckled, opened his mouth to speak, only for Selphie to playfully shush him.

 

Irvine chuckled, tossing his hat across the room. "You're not just sayin’ that to make me think it's okay to think about doing your best friend are you?"

 

Selphie licked her lips, pumping Irvine’s shaft. “T’be honest, I’ve always wanted to watch you do it. Watch you take this big dick of yours and fuck her.”

 

Selphie hovered her lips around Irvine’s bulging knob, darting the tip of her tongue all around the glans of his shaft.

 

“Another time, though. For now, this cock is all mine…”

 

Selphie opened her glossed lips and slid Irvine’s cockhead into her mouth. Irvine groaned while Selphie cooed, tasting the first few dollops of precum from his tip. She drew in her cheeks as she sucked him off, holding the base of his shaft steady in one hand.

 

“Awww, Gaia, Selphie…”

 

Kairi’s robe was around her ankles as she held herself up against the wall behind her. Her heart was racing, her skin growing numb. She could hear her own heartbeat pulsing in her temple. Her second hand was drawn down to her crotch. Her labia was slick upon her touch, but as she pushed her fingers into her inner folds, she found she was positively gushing…

 

Selphie coughed as she popped his cock out of her mouth, looking up at him giddily as she jerked him off, her hand going up and down his length. “Course, like I said, she needs to be tended to. Needs to be caressed, loved.” Selphie pointed his cock to the ceiling a she dove in to give a wet kiss to his balls, her nose buried in his scrotum. “Ya think you’re up for that?”

 

Irving laughed. “I dunno, yer drivin’ me pretty crazy right now. Makin’ me feel all antsy…”

 

Selphie got up off her knees, only to tumble backwards onto the sofa behind her. Laughing until she snorted, she raised her legs, with Irvine now standing in the middle of her V-shaped spread thighs.

 

“How’s about I help you settle down, then? Only seems fair…”

 

He gripped Selphie by her hips and began working the bunched remains of her dress down her pelvis. Selphie squealed as she lifted her ass up off her seat, fumbling her heels off her feet as Irvine tugged both her dress and panties off of her, throwing them across the room.

 

Irvine hunched over, knees pinned to the sofa, straddling his legs with Selphie’s. Kairi fought to restrain herself from making the same shriek as Selphie as the first few inches of Irvine’s cock slid into her friend’s pussy.

 

“Oh Gaia...Irvine, _yesss!_ ” Selphie wrapped her limbs around Irvine’s body, tugging him by the neck to bring him down, moaning into his mouth in a long kiss.

“Ohhh, Selphie,” Irvine grunted. "I love you, baby…”

 

“ _Aaaaaahhhh!_ ” Her legs wrapped even tighter around Irvine’s waist as he thrust himself to the hilt inside of her.

 

Kairi’s trembling legs betrayed her as she plopped to the bathroom floor, the carpet graciously cushioning her fall. She spread her legs wide, knees arched, and quivered her lip as she jabbed her hand between her thighs.

 

Kairi closed her eyelids. She didn’t need to be a peeping tom to Selphie and Irvine to get riled up. She didn’t need the obscene noise of their tensing bodies clapping together, or even Selphie’s mewling moans and Irvine’s impassioned grunts. All Kairi needed from them to fuel her fantasies were the ardent proclamations of love the couple had been giving to one another in-between ragged, panting breaths.

 

Kairi rocked her hips, knifing two fingers into her throbbing pussy, her juices spilling down her haunches and onto the carpet beneath her. She extended her thumb to dabble at her engorged clit, eliciting a slight whimper. Her nostrils flared as she bit her lip, struggling to suppress the lustful moan held up in her throat. Her vision grew hazy with lust, her focus alternating between the sounds of lovemaking down the way and the touch of her own jerking fingers. Kairi imagined herself in Selphie’s place, pinned against the couch, legs wrapped around her lover, hands locked around his neck.

 

“ _Ohhhhh, fuck me_ , Irvine! Show me how much you love me, baby!”

 

Kairi arched her back and thrust her hips, her jostling fingers imitating the tempo at which Irvine was thrusting into Selphie. In her mind, she didn’t picture Irvine on top of her. Her mind fluttered, recalling the other boys she had been with. Vaan. Zidane. Hope. All of them with thinner, more slender bodies. Her face gnarled into a grimace as she kept fingering herself, her mind a blur of escapades and fantasies, until one sole thought brushed through her mind as she drew ever closer to climax.

 

“ _Sssoraaaa…_ ”

 

Irvine’s sweaty brow furrowed. “D-Did you jus’ hear somethin’?”

 

Selphie threw her head back, her ankles locked with one another around his back. “Who fucking cares?!? Just keep fucking me, baby!"

 

Kairi imagined what Sora might look like today. Handsome, surely, probably boyishly so. His skin had a golden tan, his muscles toned like a swimmer, chiseled by his natural love of the outdoors. His blue eyes would glimmer down at Kairi, conveying a love that couldn’t be matched by a thousand words as he slid his cock down into her. He would have a big cock, for sure, giving her a sense of completeness, of fulfillment that no other partner could.

 

Tears streamed down Kairi’s eyes, mixing with the beads of sweat covering her flushed, reddened face. Her tits felt swollen and tender against her hand and forearm, her heart thumping through her chest. Kairi was openly moaning as the walls of her pussy tightened against her fingers, but neither Selphie nor Irvine could be bothered to notice, both far too enveloped in each other to pay any mind to the world around them.

 

“ _Ohhhh fuuuuuck, baby, ahhhm-I’m gonna come, I’m...Oh, Ahhhh!_ ”

 

Selphie wailed as Irvine shot his load inside of her. Her thighs constricted his hips, hugging him tightly, the sofa creaking against the wooden floor as he kept thrusting into her. He threw his head back, flinging his hat off his head, but Selphie was quick to direct him back down to her, and the two lovingly swabbed their tongues as their tempo began to peter out, their bodies kept grinding into each other as they subsided.

 

Kairi had come shortly behind the two of them, clamping her lips shut as she jammed her fingers to the knuckle, hot cream gushing from her pussy. Her body was emblazoned with pleasure, but eventually she came back down to earth. Kairi opened her eyes, her vision spotted with red, her skin tingling, her breath panting. She found herself back on the bathroom floor as her fantasy dwindled. Through the door’s crack, she could see Irvine lifting himself off of Selphie and plopping down to the other end of the sofa, with Selphie crawling over into his embrace. The two were out of her line of sight, but she could still hear the two caressing, kissing and wearily laughing with one another, until Irvine broke the silence.

 

“I’m gonna miss you baby.”

 

Selphie merely giggled, and kissed him. “Feel free t’think of me every time you hook up with a girl when you're on shore leave.”

 

The two laughed together as she climbed into his embrace. Kairi stayed slumped in her seat on the ground, her head spinning.

 

One more tear fell streaked across Kairi’s cheek as her breath slowed down. Sora was not there, and Kairi found that sadness creeping back into her as she longingly wished to have the affection Selphie so clearly had for Irvine.

 

Then, a thought crept into her mind. One that she likely would have cast out, had she not have been so delirious, so starved. Kairi rose to her feet, washed her face and thighs with a nearby towel, and threw her robe back on. She did not announce herself in any way as she crept into the living room, merely leaned on the wall, arms in pockets, watching Selphie and Irvine entangled with one another. Eventually, Irvine looked up to see her, and with him Selphie looked behind and giggled bashfully.

 

“Oh, uh...hey...Kairi,” she mumbled, covering her bare breasts more out of obligation than out of embarrassment. “S-sorry if we woke you up.”

 

Kairi remained motionless, her eyes practically glazed over. “I wasn’t asleep. I did hear you guys, though.”

 

Irvine’s eyes lit up as he sat up. “Uhhh...how much of it?”

 

Selphie lightly swatted Irvine on his chest, but Kairi stepped forward.

 

Kairi curled her lips into a smile, the first sincere one Selphie had seen on her friend in what felt like forever.

 

“Enough to be on board with what I heard.”

 

Selphie’s heart fluttered as she saw Kairi’s hands begin to unknot her robe.

 

“I want to feel what you two feel for each other.” Kairi’s robe joined the rest of their clothes on the floor. “...even if it’s just for one night.”

 

Selphie grinned wildly as her eyes ate up the sight of Kairi’s bare body before her, every supple curve she had always admired now on full display.

 

“Like you even needed to ask.” She rose to her feet and approached Kairi. Sensing her friend’s worry, she gently rested her hands on Kairi’s shoulders, then guided her down so she was at eye level with Selphie, resting a knee on a nearby ottoman. Kairi’s lip quivered as her mouth met with Selphie’s, kissing her slowly, sensually. Kairi moaned into Selphie’s mouth as her friend’s tongue slowly delved past her lips, and Kairi pulled Selphie closer, brushing her fingers along her arms.

 

The display before him was plenty enough for Irvine’s cock to spring back to full hardness. He quickly went to unlacing his boots and kicking off his trousers, still bunched around his ankles, all while Kairi helped Selphie out of her bra. Irvine rose from his seat and approached the two girls, and Selphie broke her kiss with Kairi to welcome her boyfriend into their huddled embrace.

 

Irvine brought his thumb and forefinger to Kairi’s chin gently guided her to look upon him face-to-face. Both stared into each other for a moment with smoldering eyes, then leaned in to bring their lips together into a tender kiss—with Kairi only a few inches shorter than Irvine, he did not need to lower or kneel himself as he was so used to. Selphie bit her lip giddily as she watched her boyfriend make out with her best friend, caressing both their backs as Irvine delved his tongue past Kairi’s lips. She didn’t dare interrupt, but eventually the two ended their kiss. Kairi opened her eyes and looked back at Selphie, her face flushed and her head spinning.

 

“So...you wanna keep things in here?” Selphie asked. “You’re the one calling the shots.”

 

“Yuna might be comin’ back in soon,” Irvine noted. Kairi nodded at Irvine, then looked back at Selphie. She extended both her arms, brushing her hands along each of their backs.

 

“Let’s go to your room. I always thought about joining in with the two of you in there anyway.”

 

Selphie led the way, guiding Kairi by the hand and Irvine bringing up the rear. Kairi tightened her grip on Selphie’s hand as she looked over her shoulder and smiled, caressing her thumb into Kairi’s palm. Shutting the door behind them, Irvine brought his hands around Kairi’s shoulders, gently massaging her tensing muscles as both he and Selphie guided Kairi through the darkness of Selphie’s bedroom.

 

Over the years, many had chided Irvine and Selphie’s pairing, the oddity of such a physically imposing, overly masculine man with such a dainty, overly feminine woman. Kairi knew that, despite how different the couple seemed, what they shared in common was most important: Their sense of compassion. For each other, for those they invited into their trysts. Kairi felt humbled to feel that passion, not a shred of shame or jealousy to be felt.

 

The pair led Kairi to the bed, and as the redhead took a knee onto the mattress, Selphie and Irvine had taken to the opposite ends, and Kairi grew bubbly as she was smothered with affection, turning her head back and forth to take each of their lips before they both leaned in and turned it into a delightfully sloppy three-way kiss.

 

Kairi giggled like a schoolgirl as she was lowered on her back.

 

“Eat me out, Selphie.” Kairi whispered in what sounded more like a plea than an instruction. As Selphie nodded and crawled down, Kairi then looked to Irvine, up on both knees on the mattress and slowly pumping his cock, the light moonlight from the window behind him making his impressive frame look all the more imposing.

 

“And you...lemme suck that cock of yours.”

 

Selphie lowered her head between Kairi’s spread legs, and gingerly kissed Kairi upon the mound of her sex. The redhead shivered, then raised her legs over Selphie’s shoulders before beginning to ensnare her thighs around her friend’s neck.

 

“Mmmm,” Selphie moaned. “Smells like you were doing more than just listening in on us.”

 

Kairi giggled, her thighs tensing up around Selphie’s head. Selphie could tell that Kairi wasn’t up for any more teasing. She took a moment to take in the intoxicating feminine aroma emanating from Kairi’s gushing pussy before finally delving in, plunging her tongue past Kairi’s labia.

 

Kairi’s entire body jostled around as Selphie’s tongue stabbed into her cunt. She looked to her side and found Irivine’s cock facing her, with him kneeled to the bed. He reached down and gently combed his hand through her red hair, and Kairi reached out to fondle Irvine’s scrotum.

 

Selphie, thoroughly engrossed in Kairi’s crotch, quickly looked up to see Kairi raising Irvine’s cock so his knob was pointed at the ceiling, all while she swabbed her tongue around his swollen balls. She snickered with glee before she returned her attention to Kairi’s inner folds, briefly seeing the moonlight from outside glisten the saliva Kairi was coating her boyfriend’s balls in.

 

Kairi responded to Selphie’s growing enthusiasm by coiling her legs even tighter around her, her thighs pressing up against Selphie’s ears. Selphie eagerly speared her tongue through and around Kairi’s pussy lips, moaning as she began to taste her friend’s juices already gushing from her cunt.

 

Kairi coughed as she struggled to swallow the saliva pooling in her mouth. Her chest rose high, her head pulsing as she took Irvine’s cockhead past her lips. Both boyfriend and girlfriend looked on intently as Kairi fumed through her nose, taking more of Irvine’s length into her mouth, savoring his taste. Irvine sighed, holding both his hands gently around Kairi’s head, feeling his knob brush against the roof of her mouth and pushing even further back.

 

Kairi’s eyes rolled to the back of her head. She had sucked off men before, but none with Irvine’s thickness. His prick had filled her mouth only half-way through. Kairi kept a firm grip on the base of Irvine’s shaft as she began bobbing her head back and forth along his length. Kairi’s face was almost as crimson as her hair, her cheeks drawing inward as she eagerly sucked Irvine’s dick. Irvine felt no need to move or thrust into Kairi’s mouth, so he instead reached down to her chest, taking one breast in his hand and gripping her nipple with his thumb and forefinger. Lightly at first, but started to twist harder, making Kairi gyrate her hips, lightly swaying Selphie from side to side as she kept her lips firmly sealed around Kairi’s labia. Selphie clutched Kairi’s ass with both hands just to keep her steady, with Kairi’s cum already having smeared Selphie’s chin and cheeks as she burrowed her face even deeper into her friend’s crotch, her nose nudged up against Kairi’s flaring clit.

 

Kairi reached around Irvine’s waist, grasping him on the side of his ass, and pushed him forward. Irvine grunted, grabbing the wall to his left for support as Kairi shoved his prick down to her gullet. She clutched her breasts in each hand, stroking her sensitive nipples against her fingers, while Irvine regained himself and took to Kairi’s guidance, beginning to gently thrust into Kairi’s willing mouth.

 

Selphie looked up at Irvine. He was panting, hunched over, his face twisting into a lusty grimace. She unclasped her mouth from Kairi’s cunt, coughing as she caught her breath, sweat dripping down her nose.

 

“F-face fuck her, baby,” she said. “Her little pussy goes crazy when you shove that big dick of yours down her throat.”

 

Irvine didn’t need to follow Selphie’s instruction. Kairi released her hands from her breasts and wrapped them around Irvine’s waist. Selphie was almost knocked out of the bed how swiftly Kairi shifted her body to an angle, but Selphie dug her knees into the matress and tightened the grip her hands had on Kairi’s ass. Her lower lip was now brushing up against his balls. Selphie couldn’t believe it. Even she never deep-throated Irvine like that before. Irvine certainly wasn’t used to it either, gritting his teeth as his cockhead was nestled deep within Kairi’s throat.

 

Kairi gagged as she thrust her mouth up and down Irvine’s prick, with Irvine struggling to match her speed as he gyrated his hips to match her bobbing movements. Kairi’s body began to be hit with one spasm after another, each one causing her to thrust her cunt further into Selphie’s face. Selphie fucked her tongue deeper into Kairi’s pussy, the tip hitting a rougher ridge along her inner walls. Kairi let out a muffled squeal every time Selphie brushed against her G-spot, and Selphie shoved her face so her tongue kept a steady hold upon it, more and more juices flooding her mouth. Selphie’s own pussy was throbbing between her legs, but she was zeroed in on Kairi’s pleasure, her trembling body undulating, sending tremors through Selphie and Irvine.

 

With a guttural moan, his balls churned as he finally shot his load into Kairi’s mouth. Kairi moaned as she worked to swallow, but before long found herself overwhelmed. Irvine’s seed kept sputtering, clogging her throat, filling her mouth. Drawing back, Kairi coughed as she struggled to swallow Irvine’s cum while also finally coming up for air. Irvine couldn’t relent, still splaying his load over Kairi’s mouth before aiming himself down to her chest, splattering her tits with his jism.

 

Finally, the last few shudders ran through Kairi’s body until her muscles went slack. The grip her legs had on Selphie went limp, which Selphie took to finally rise up, licking her lips from Kairi’s cream. She saw her boyfriend, utterly spent, huffing with his brow dripping with sweat. She wasn’t too far behind him, her head dizzy with lust all from just eating Kairi out. Any worries that Kairi’s impassioned spirit had snuffed out were long gone, with Selphie grinning as she looked upon her friend, her face tits and stomach covered in Irvine’s cum.

 

“Beautiful,” Selphie observed, her voice somehow tinged with jest and sincerity all at once. She crawled up against Kairi’s side, and Irvine lifted himself off his knees and did the same on the other end. Kairi beamed as the couple enveloped her into their warm embrace.

 

The three of them lay there for a moment, with Irvine or Selphie kissing Kairi on the cheek, neck, or hovering over her to kiss each other. Eventually, Selphie turned Kairi’s head towards her, the two girls’ noses touching as Selphie caressed her fingers along Kairi’s face.

 

“So…do wanna maybe call it a night, or are you up for more?”

 

Kairi smiled before lifting herself up, reaching over to touch Irvine along his bicep.

 

“If you don’t mind, could you get your boyfriend here hard again? I’d like for him to fuck me, like he does with you.” She then took her hand to Selphie, pulling her close into a tender kiss.

 

“And, if it’s alright with you, I’d like to return the favor with how well you ate my pussy.”

 

***

 

Naminé had always detested having to travel through the Darkness. The weightlessness, the utter lack of a spark of life always made her feel smothered, overwhelmed. One moment, she was motionless, drifting through nothingness with only a vague sense that she was being brought back to a tangible world. Soon enough, she found herself laying fetal on the ground, shivering, but her anxiety simmered down as she became aware of her new surroundings.

 

Naminé bulged her eyes, wheezing as if she had just popped her head out from underwater. She let out a sigh of relief as she brushed her hand across the starchy carpet floor. Homely, but still luxurious compared to what she was used to.

 

Her reach then touched upon something far softer. Blinking rapidly, Naminé's sight unblurred, discovering a fluffy white bathrobe in her hand. Looking around the room, the blonde found an assortment of discarded clothes scattered all along the floor and furniture. Her ears then perked up to a conspicuous creaking going on through the wall by her side.

 

Naminé grabbed the wall as she staggered to her feet, and kept her fingertips against the wall as she crept around the corner. Pressing the side of her head against the closed door, the sounds of the creaking bed were mixed with impassioned masculine grunts and the heavy clapping of flesh against flesh. Such noise along with the mess of clothes in the other room didn’t take much for even a shut-in like Naminé to put two and two together, but the unexpected whimpering plea she heard, distinctly coming from another girl, begging whoever to keep licking at her clit drove a shudder through Naminé’s bones.

 

Shaking her head, Naminé turned back to the living room, and resolved to pick up and neaten the place as she waited for Kairi to be free. She certainly didn’t want to interrupt, and part of her was even thankful that she and Kairi would be given one last moment of solace before the next day.

 

As she put everything away, Naminé could still hear the lovemaking going on down the hall. Curling up on the couch, she lifted the necklace she was wearing over her head, and stared blankly as she inspected its pendant: Five pink Thalassa shells bound together in grey twine, arranged in the shape of a star.

 

Naminé brought the Wayfinder to her chest and let out a beleaguered sigh. Soon enough, Kairi would have to leave her home. Naminé silently hoped Kairi wouldn’t end up hating her for being the messenger.


	2. Riku

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to [TinyOctopus](http://archiveofourown.org/users/TinyOctopus/), Hermit and ArdenWolfWatcher for beta/feedback help.

Every now and again, a part of Riku had hoped to walk in on an empty chamber.

 

The containment room was bright, almost blindingly so, but Riku had grown accustomed to it after his dozens of visits. Every time, he would walk in to check on Sora in person: Always sleeping, content, blissfully unaware. He had aged since then, of course, but there was no telling what’s been going on in his head. Naminé once told Riku that, while Sora would likely sense that  _ some _ time had passed, there’s no telling how much of the four long years he’s spent in deep unconsciousness he could comprehend once he awoke.

 

Riku couldn’t help but smile at the thought. It took him back to more innocent times, when the lot of them were busy building a rickety raft with the wide-eyed ambition to explore worlds unknown. All the while, Sora would just doze off on the beach while Riku and Kairi did all the hard work.

 

Kairi…

 

Riku shook his head and turned around back to the Computer Room. He knew seeing the same old thing, Sora asleep in his containment chamber, was a  _ good _ thing. It meant no one had found the Old Mansion. No one had kidnapped Sora, remade him into their puppet, or, Light forbid, kill him. Riku’s hopeful side imagined walking in on an empty pod, not because of any of those things, but because Sora had miraculously woken up on his own and ran out to go fight the good fight, just like Riku knew he would.

 

Of course, if Sora leapt out of his pod and saw Riku, saw what his childhood friend now looked like, he would probably attack him without reservation...

 

Riku sighed, clearing his head yet again as he took his seat at the control monitor. He spent a few moments going over all the recent vitals and data, and even double-checked the security feed for good measure. As Riku bound his attention to the feed, a metal door hissed open behind him. 

 

“How’s he doing?” a soft, willowy voice asked.

 

Riku’s eyes flickered over his shoulder. “Hey Naminé. Nothing to report, as usual.”

 

Naminé nodded, walking across the room. She leaned against the wall to Riku’s left, crossing her arms. Feeling her gaze upon him, Riku lifted himself away from the computer.

 

“How, uh, how did you know I was here?” Riku spoke up. “I came in through the portal in the Basement Hall.”

 

Naminé shrugged. “DiZ might be gone, but his security system’s still up and running.”

 

Her petite body, tall and thin like a ballerina, was dressed in a stark white dress, as always. Her narrow shoulders were slumped as she hugged herself with her crossed arms.

 

“Would you...like me to read him?”

 

Riku then swiveled his chair toward Naminé’s direction. “Y-yeah, sure.” He brought his finger to his temple. “How’s he doing up there, anyway?”

 

Naminé gently shut her eyelids and took in a slow breath. “His mind is...active,” she responded, reopening her eyes. “He’s been a little restless lately, but nothing else too different.”

 

“Good to know.” Riku’s eyes flickered to the wall for a moment before he continued. “How’s, uh...how’s Kairi holding up?”

 

Naminé shut her eyes once more, only this time her face winced as she took a breath, furrowing her brow, wrinkling the bridge of her nose. 

 

“She’s...not doing so great,” Naminé replied, her breath ending in a sigh. “She’s not in danger, but...there’s a heavy sadness hanging over her heart.”   
  


“Can’t say I blame her…” Riku continued. “Kairi graduated today. Crazy to think, right? How she’s been able to live a normal life all this time…”

 

It wasn’t  _ too  _ outrageous of a thought, not to Riku. He had been making sure Kairi had that luxury for years now. The Organization had been preying on her for years, keeping tabs on her as one more potential Keyblade wielder to exploit, and Riku had fought back with every attempt, and so subtly Kairi never noticed what was going on around her. Riku would never wish the lives he and Sora had to live onto her…

 

The insistent buzz of his comm link broke Riku from his reverie. “Riku, it’s Leon. You clear?”

 

Riku politely held a finger to Naminé as he tapped against the link.

 

“Y-yeah, I’m clear. Just finishing up my latest eval.”

 

“Great. Anything new to report?”

 

Riku sighed. “All vitals stable, the brain is showing activity patterns indicative of REM sleep, but no cognitive function. Restoration still undetermined.”

 

“As usual, then. I’m not holding you up on anything, am I?”

 

Riku flickered his gaze back over to Naminé, who was already angling towards the door back upstairs.

  
“N-no, I’m available. You need to confer in person about something?”

 

There was a slight pause. “Y-yeah. Rendezvous with me at 7th Heaven and I’ll bring you up to speed.”

 

Riku paused, the locale throwing him off, but confirmed. “Alright, I’ll meet up with you in a minute. Over and out.”

 

Riku stood up from his seat and cast a portal of Darkness before he even turned back to address Naminé. 

 

“I...have to leave,” Riku stumbled. “Leon needs me for something.”

 

Naminé let out a huff, turning to step out the room as she spoke. “Yeah, I figured as much. I’ll see you later…”

 

“Naminé—”

 

She looked over her shoulder to face Riku, resting her hand against the frame of the door. Her big blue eyes caught him off guard, despite how many hundreds of times he has stared into them. Not unlike Kairi’s yet Naminé’s were even more vibrant and gentle. 

 

Riku cleared his throat and lightly shook his head before he continued.

 

“We’re...well, you already know this, but we’re not under fire anymore. The Organization...they’re all gone.” 

 

Naminé silently nodded her head.

 

“Well, now that the war’s over, we might have the chance to move Sora back over to Hollow Bastion with the rest of us. And you, of course. We couldn’t do any of this without you.”

 

Naminé’s eyes darted down to the floor. Hugging herself, her fingers brushed against her elbows.

 

“I’ll...do whatever’s in Sora’s best interests.”

 

Riku winced. “Of course, but a change in scenery would be good too, right? For yourself, I mean?”

 

“I knew what you meant.” Naminé curtly stated, looking back up at him. His eyebrows jerked up, surprised at Naminé’s sudden forwardness. She was quick to read him, and almost immediately backed down.

 

“S-sorry. It’s just...you’ve known me for years now, Naminé said. “You know what I’m like. Big, open spaces and everything…”

 

“Right, I know. I just figured being cooped up in here all the time is probably lonely. I mean...have you ever even seen a sunset before?”

 

Naminé looked away again. “Not in person, no. I don’t think Twilight Town counts.”

 

Riku chuckled. “I agree.”

 

“Other than that, there’s Kairi’s memories, with you and Sora, at the Islands, but…”

 

She trailed off, eyes glued to the floor. After a long pause, Riku let out a sigh.

  
“Well, feel free to think it over. It’ll be awhile before we can sort the move out anyway.” He turned back around, stepping into the portal. “I’ll talk to you later—”

 

“Riku, wait. Before you go…”

 

He turned back around to see Naminé approaching him. She was nervously scratching her wrist. 

 

“I’m...grateful for the offer, doing what’s best for me and Sora and all, but...what about yourself?”

 

“What do you mean?” Naminé was now an arm’s length away from him. 

 

“You always put your friends over yourself, and that’s noble…”

 

Riku’s eyes widened in surprise as he saw her extend her hand, bringing her fingers to his cheek.

 

“...but, haven’t you ever thought of...you know, taking care of... _ this _ ?”

 

Riku shuddered as Naminé brushed her fingertips along his cheekbone. He sighed, knowing full well what she was talking about. How, for the last two years, the face he has been wearing was not his own, but of Ansem. The  _ other _ Ansem, the one who manipulated Riku at his most vulnerable and prideful point. A bargain that he regretted doing to this very day.

 

Riku looked down at Naminé’s arm, enveloped in goosebumps. Whether that be from the chill emanating from the portal behind them or her unease at such intimate contact, he couldn’t tell. A smile crept across his face. He reached up and took her trembling hand into a tender hold.

 

“I’ve certainly...tabled it for quite a while, haven’t I?”

 

Naminé smiled back, though her eyes wavered.

 

“How about this—you consider... _ un _ tabelling it, and I’ll consider not stowing myself away when that move happens.”

 

Riku chuckled. “Sounds good.” He lifted her hand from his face. “I  _ do _ gotta go, though.”

 

“Of course.” Naminé walked back to the lab’s exit, with a much more jovial grace then before. She turned one last time before ascending the stairs.

 

“And Riku?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I  _ would _ love to see a sunset sometime—be sure to pick out a good look-out spot for me.”

 

***

 

Tifa Lockheart slumped in her swivel chair as she overlooked 7th Heaven through the security feed in her private quarters. Everything was running smoothly so far this evening. The pool, massage parlor and outdoor balcony were practically deserted, but each had a member of Tifa’s security detail standing by. The S&M dungeon was barren as well, but with Vincent attending, that likely wouldn’t last for much longer.

 

As the Madame to the establishment, Tifa had to make sure her business kept up its orderly prestige. Especially tonight of all nights, with a VIP party for the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee going on in the bar and lounge area. Most of Tifa’s girls were running the floor there, with Claire and Fang behind the bar and tending to the tables, respectively. Tifa scanned the room, but was unable to find one particular guest in sight.

 

Until she flicked onto the front door to 7th, that is. Sure enough, with a flicker of an ominous dark portal stepped out the man of the hour. Tall, broad shouldered, with that long silver hair and piercing gaze. Tifa licked her lips and squirmed in her seat as Riku was padded down by Rude and stepped on into the establishment. 

 

A buzz then came at Tifa’s door. “Madame Lockheart, it’s Reno. You called?”

 

Tifa smiled, leaned over and pressed a button on her desk. “That I did. Come on in.”

 

With a click, Tifa’s door opened, and the newest member of her security detail stepped in. Reno wore his Turk uniform very casually, skipping a tie and leaving his blazer unbuttoned. He stood tall and wiry, with a sharp chin, vibrant red hair and a near-constant cocky grin.

 

Tifa swiveled to face him, that smug look turned into slight astonishment as he looked upon his boss. Tifa’s long hair was tied up into a braid, and she had nothing on but a white cotton robe, the hem just barely brushing past her calves. Reno was quick to regain his bearings, standing formally with his hands held behind his back. Still, Reno couldn’t help but dart his green eyes up and down Tifa, taking in her long legs and bulging breasts, barely contained by the front of her robe. Not that Tifa minded the attention.

 

She stood up from her seat, walking towards a fridge left in a corner across the room.

 

“I’ve decided to retire for the evening. I would like for you to relieve me of all sentry duties. Drink?”

 

Reno jerked up, clearing his throat. “Uh-N-no thank you, Madame. I’m...grateful you would consider me for this.”

 

Tifa effortlessly twisted the cap off of her bottled beer and took a quick swig. “Mmm, don’t sweat it.  _ All _ my security detail needs to hold overnight watch every now and again to prove their mettle, and you’ve certainly proved yourself in most other aspects of the job already.” 

 

Chugging down the rest of the beer, Tifa threw it aside, then darted her finger up and down Reno’s slender frame.

 

“One more thing I ask of you before you take this up. Could you go ahead and strip for me?”

 

Reno raised his eyebrow, holding back a delightful smirk. “I beg your pardon, Madame?”

 

She impatiently walked toward him, tugging at his belt. “Forgive the cheesy wordplay, but I’m in need of being relieved in more ways than one, and none of my dildos have been cutting it tonight. You don’t mind, do you?”

 

Reno finally let that smile spread, shaking his blazer off down his arms. “Not that I don’t but I would have figured you would have called up Rude for this sort of thing.”

 

Tifa smiled as she looked up at Reno, shucking his trousers down to his knees and reaching lower to pull off his shoes. “He’s doing a stellar job running the door. I can’t let personal business interfere with productivity, can I?”

 

“Absolutely not,” Reno replied with a wide grin. Before long, Reno was completely stripped, and Tifa rose to her feet to eye him down. He was not as heavily muscled as some of the other men at 7th, but Tifa’s eyes narrowed down to his groin. He at least had mass where it mattered.

 

Tifa pressed a hand up against his chest and pushed him backward. “Time to  _ really _ prove your worth, rookie.” Eventually, she shoved him into her bed, and after tossing her robe aside crawled in to join him. 

 

***

 

Throwing back his hood, Riku shuffled past the street vendors and loiterers and made his way up the steps to the double-doors of 7th Heaven, the most popular venue in The Edge district of Hollow Bastion. Rude, the stoic bouncer, stood by the door, and peered over his dark shades as Riku approached him.

 

“Evening, Riku. You actually got company waiting for you this time.” 

 

Riku let out a huff as he instinctively drew out his hands to a T-shape for Rude to search him. “It’s just a business rendezvous. I’ll probably be ducking out soon enough.” 

 

Rude tisked, smirking while he frisked him. “Not if you’re part of the party going on in the lounge. We’ve been holding that down for the last few hours.”

 

Clearing him, Rude let Riku inside, stepping past the large double doors and into the lobby. The hexagonal-shaped room was ordained with ruby-red paneling and brass furnishings, with a red-and-white chandelier hanging in the high-rise ceiling above Riku, and a ceramic tiled floor depicting a mural of dolphins swimming and frolicking about at his feet. 

 

“Ah, Riku! Glad you could make it out this evening!” greeted Tseng, holding down the reception desk, dapper and jaunty in his crisp suit and slicked-back hair. 

 

Riku shook his head. “I’m...just here for a meeting with Leon.”

 

“Of course. The party is going on down in the lounge. You know the way.”

 

“...Right, thanks.” Riku made his way up the spiral staircase and down the hall to the west of the building. The bright illumination of the lobby was replaced with hazy dimmer, provided by the yellow neon lighting wrapped around the upper corners of the walls. Bypassing several doors, he finally hooked a left where he came upon a heavy door with the brass plaque reading “BAR” hung over it, with heavy music muffled on the other side.

 

Elena, petite and steely-eyed, stood by the door. Her eyes lit up as Riku approached. 

 

“Oh, hey there, Riku. Fashionably late, I’m guessing?”

 

“I just now found out there was a get-together in the first place.”

 

Elena brought one hand to the door for Riku, but the other was brought to Riku’s shoulder. She grinned as she looked up into his eyes.

 

“Hate to say it, but things are so busy tonight I’ll be on security duty all night. Business before pleasure, and all.”

 

Riku felt Elena’s fingers digging into arm. Devoid of circumstances, this might come across as inappropriate to passerby. Riku reciprocated Elena by smiling back.

 

“But the pleasure’s also business, right?”

 

“Not when you’re involved, it’s not. Go have yourself some fun tonight, Riku.” With an abrupt slap on the ass, Elena let Riku pass through. 

 

The first thing he noticed was the blaring music. The second was what was going on on the table closest to the door. Barrett and Zell were chugging down drinks in what presumably started as a competition, but as Riku walked in on them had culminated in Barrett coolly sipping away at his lager while Zell could barely keep his drink in his hand, much less finish it. Fran, tall and lithe, was seated on Barrett’s lap, grinning as she raked her fingernails up and down Barrett’s wide chest, all while his prosthetic arm wrapped around her waist. 

 

Scanning the rest of the oblong-shaped room, Riku found it to be packed with patrons, including nearly every member of the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee. Aside from Barrett and Zell’s drinking game, Yuffie was drunkenly wailing into the karaoke machine in the corner, Aerith and Quistis were in the midst of a card game with a gaggle of others, and, at the very end of the room sat Leon and Vincent, backs facing Riku as they chatted away, drinks in hand. And, of course, dozens of gorgeous young women, dressed to the nines, some comfortably seated, awaiting to be approached, some joining in on the fun going on across the lounge, and some chatting with clients, usually young men. Just then, Riku saw a woman he knew, Scarlett, dolled up in a cocktail dress and hair pulled back in a French braid, sit down next to Vincent at the bar. After chatting in the wordless distance, Leon gave him the nod to depart, and Vincent left the bar, an arm locked with Scarlett.

 

Leon was in his usual fur-trimmed jacket, holding his drink by its rim as he stared blankly out into the glass wall behind the bar, overlooking the vibrant cityscape. Leon glanced over his shoulder with a slight smirk, already a bit buzzed.

 

“Didn’t expect you to show up in that coat.”

 

Riku propped his elbows against the rail of the bar as he took his seat. “I thought this was an emergency.”

 

“I never said ‘emergency.’ What I said was ‘rendezvous at 7th Heaven.”

 

“‘Rendezvous’ at least implies it was a meeting of business.”

 

Leon chuckled into the rim of his glass. “Well, most of everybody’s here too. That wouldn’t be wrong either…”

 

“Any occasion?”

 

Leon downed his drink, the ice cubes chinking in his glass as he set it down on the bar. “Morale. It’s not every day the threat of complete oblivion is finally snuffed out.”

 

“Wasn’t that taken care of weeks ago?”

 

“It takes a while to get everyone’s schedules together. Even then, we couldn’t get Cid out from under his workbench…”

 

“Another round, Leon?” The bartender, Claire, dressed in a crop top and faded jeans, approached the two of them. Her striking strawberry-blonde hair shimmered against the gleaming city nightlights behind her, 

“Absolutely,” Leon responded, extending his glass to her on the other end of the bar. “I’ll go with another one, too. For my friend here.”

 

Claire’s eyes lit up. “Oh,  _ heeey _ , Riku.” Her full lips drawing into a smile.

 

Riku cleared his throat. “H-hey, Claire.”

 

“Good to see you on a  _ busy _ night, for once.” Fixing both men their drinks, Claire rested her hands against the bar, eyeing Riku up and down. “I got stuck behind the bar tonight, obviously, but…” she licked her lips, “...how long might you be staying, tonight?”

 

Riku’s hands were interlocked as he glared over to Leon. “About as long as Leon—”

 

“Hey! We *hic* w-we need another round, over here!” slurred Zell from across the way.

Claire sighed as she stepped away to tend to the other patrons, but not without giving Riku a wink before leaving. Leon let out an inaudible sigh, the smirk on his face falling slack as he recognized Riku’s unease.

 

“Would you be in a better mood if were were to knock out the ‘business’ talk first?”

 

Riku let out a huff as he grasped his drink. He looked over to Leon with a pleasant smile.

 

“I certainly wouldn’t mind.” As Riku said it, he felt another uneasy twinge. Despite his appearance not being his own, he almost wished that his voice had changed too. His tall, imposing body really deserved the baritone that Ansem, Seeker of Darkness had spoken with. The contradiction between his body and raspy, adolescent voice was off-putting now and again, mostly to Riku himself.

 

Leon smiled back, completely oblivious to Riku’s inner dilemma, and the two clinked their glasses together as they each took a first swig.

 

“So…‘stable, as usual’, right?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“No security breaches or power outages?”

 

“Nope. Everything’s operational.”

 

“Did you ask Naminé about moving everything over here?”

 

Riku held the rim of his glass still between his lips before he responded.

 

“She agrees it’s the best course of action.” He took a long, hard sip before continuing. “Only thing she’s apprehensive about is the change of pace for herself.”

 

Leon gave a slight shrug, knowingly shaking his head. “Not surprising, based on what she’s been through. Still, we’d provide any and all accommodations—”

 

“Yeah, I told her.” Riku put his glass down and craned his neck towards Leon. “How’s the scouting team going? I couldn’t help but notice Vincent’s with the rest of you tonight. Or was, since I just saw him scurry off with Scarlett.”

 

Leon winced. “Cloud’s taking up scouting duties. Just reported from Prydain earlier today. Still no signs of them, but he’s making his final rounds just to be sure.”

 

“But in case they’re gone for good, we could still get Sora back up and running without them, right?”

 

“That’s what we’re thinking, based on the new reports from in Ansem’s computer. We’d have a better application if we could bring Sora down there—”

 

“Yeah, I know. That won’t be an issue.” Riku took another drink, the cubes in his drink starting to collide together. “That  _ would _ be safe, right? Cid’s projections put that lab going twenty stories down. We have no idea what might be lurking down there.”

  
Leon’s grin returned. “Well, good thing our priorities recently cleared up. Now we have the time to methodically go through each floor and give the place a clean sweep.” His smile faltered for a moment and he stared broodingly into his drink. “It makes you wonder, though, what  _ were _ they researching down there?”

 

Claire came back around the bar, a bundle of stacked glasses in hand.

  
“So Riku, have you given your congrats to the birthday boy yet?”

 

Riku raised his brow in confusion, but his usually glum face lit up as he looked back over to Leon in a smirk.

 

“I thought you said this party was for Committee morale?”

  
Leon stared blankly into the window, drawing his drink. “It can be both.”

 

“Mr. Committee Leader here hit thirty today,” Claire explained. 

 

“Is that right?” Riku snickered, turning back to Leon. “So, are you gonna start bingo nights with Cid and Merlin now?”

 

“Wouldn’t be a bad idea. You could certainly get some words of wisdom from those two.”

 

Claire stepped away from the bar, drinks in hand, and the two men sat there in silence for a moment, looking out blankly into the city lights. Eventually, Riku spoke up.

 

“In all seriousness though Leon—congrats.”

 

“Yeah, I’m glad I’m not dead yet too.”

 

“No, I meant the whole ‘older and wiser’ thing.”

 

Leon cocked his eyebrow, but kept the rim of his glass anchored between his lips.

Riku continued. “When I first met you, you wouldn’t even entertain taking a joke like that in stride.”

 

Leon shrugged. “I’ll give credit to my old age for that. Living with pride makes life harder to sit through.” Leon threw his head back as he finished his drink, bringing it back down to the bar.  “That day, when we all had to run for our lives...with the world crumbling to pieces right behind us...I won’t lie, that memory ruled my life for a whole decade.”

 

Riku sighed and silently nodded along. He could sympathize.

 

“By the time we got it back, once Sora cleaned house, I didn’t realize it at the time, but there was this...weight that came off my shoulders. We got our home back from that damn witch. I kept thinking to myself, this is home, no matter how warped it’s gotten, no matter how hollowed it it might have become...”

 

“You’ve all worked hard, you especially, to make Hollow Bastion feel like a home to people,” Riku added. “Less like a...like a—”

 

“Like a refugee camp?”

 

Riku shook his head. “That’s...not exactly where I was going…”

 

“Well, that’s a shame, because that’s  _ exactly _ where I was going.”

 

Riku looked at Leon confused, and Leon answered him before Riku could respond.

 

“You hit the nail on the head. Traverse Town, those first few years, we were all just hiding, hoping the Boogeyman wouldn’t find us. I think back on those times, then see myself here, talking to you, looking out at the city we helped build back up…” Leon paused, laughing and shaking his head. “Well, how can I let an old man joke get me down when I feel so great already?”

 

From the corner of his eye, Riku saw a slender feminine arm brush up against Leon’s bicep.

 

“You haven’t been hiding from me, have you?” Rinoa purred, brushing her lovely face against Leon’s thick hair. Riku craned his eyes, seeing Rinoa, with her dark hair and pale skin, adorned in a translucent turquoise robe, with black lingerie and garter belt worn underneath.  

 

Leon’s nostrils flared as he smiled, trying to fight back from blushing. 

 

“Had to tend to everybody first,” Leon responded. Rinoa tucked both her arms under Leon’s, wrapping him in a snug embrace. Leon chuckled, securing one of Rinoa’s hands in his own while she peppered his cheek with kisses.

 

“Of course, the man of the hour and all…” Rinoa giggled.

 

The two barely took notice of Riku, who slightly shuddered as he felt Rinoa’s hand glide up against his arm. Craning back around to face her, Rinoa looked upon Riku with her dark brown eyes.

 

“So sorry that I interrupted the two of you, Riku. You wouldn’t mind if I steal him, would you?”

 

Riku shrugged, and brought up his drink. “It’s the man’s birthday, who am I to hold him up?”

 

Rinoa giggled, and with that Leon’s chair scooted aside as she pulled him down the hall Scarlett led Vincent moments before. Riku could faintly hear Rinoa as she and Leon retired to the girl’s dorms, arms interlocked.

 

“Oh Squall, sweetie, how I’ve missed you…”

 

Riku sat there in silence, astounded. By then, Claire was back behind the bar, loading up the dishwasher.

 

“You need another drink, Riku?”

 

“Hmm? No, uhh…” Riku started to pull himself from his seat. “Actually, I think I’ll go get some fresh air.”

 

Claire gave him a wink. “Don’t wander  _ too _ far off. My shift ends in a little while.”

 

***

 

Tifa barely came. She didn’t blame Reno, the man definitely had some infectious enthusiasm, but Tifa’s mind was just in a far-off place. For someone so constantly praised for her steel-hard nerves, she couldn’t deny she was jittery tonight. 

 

After cleaning up with Reno in the shower, Tifa stepped out to look over the security feed. The buzzing social scene had grown a bit too overwhelming for Riku, as Tifa had anticipated. He had since stepped away from the party and was now out on his lonesome on the balcony, overseeing the sunset. 

 

Drying her hair, Tifa went for the most ridiculous outfit she could pull together, for no reason other than budding girlish excitement. Tifa reached for the cowgirl outfit she saved for theme parties: A white tube top with a rust-colored jacket, skirt and boots. She didn’t bother with the hat—and any underwear too.

 

Tifa threw on some perfume—skipping on any makeup—before getting dressed and leaving Reno to his duties. She walked at a steady pace down the halls, breathing comfortably to calm her heartbeat. She had spent all night trying to relax, first with her toys and later with Reno, but she understood that the only way to to settle down is to finally make her move, as she was planning.

 

That was all foreplay. Riku would be the main event.

 

Tifa didn’t bother sneaking around, unassumingly opening the glass door to the balcony. Riku didn’t move, his elbows still resting against the waist-high parapet, leaning up against the thick border safeguarding a steep plummet down the massive plateau Hollow Bastion rests upon. As the red sun descended lower into the faraway blue valleys, the sky around it was shining an effervescent pink, with the rest of the evening sky a breathtaking purple. 

 

Riku’s and body language made it seem like he was spacing out, but Tifa knew him better. His mind was spinning with a thousand thoughts, with only a handful of which he could properly put to words. Seeing him gazing out into the horizon took Tifa back to when she first met him, when the two worked sentry duties at this very spot. She took a final gulp and strolled forward.

 

“Beautiful view as always, right?”

 

Riku cocked his eyebrows, tilting his head to his shoulder not that he needed to. That smarmy-yet-sweet tone of voice was all he needed to figure out that the Madame of 7th Heaven was approaching him. 

 

“Takes me back to when this place was just a look-out post,” he responded.

 

Tifa made a humming noise in acknowledgement. “I’m surprised Fang isn’t out here with you. You're her favorite, y’know.”

 

Riku shrugged. “Figured she was busy. Hectic night and everything.”

 

“You’re tellin’ me. I barely had enough time to get away just now.” She rested backwards against the parapet, her elbow was mere inches away from Riku’s. She groaned as she craned her neck and rolled her shoulders. 

 

“Got off the phone with Cid a while ago. Thirty percent of the girls’ earnings tonight will be put into the city’s infrastructure budget.” She paused, inhaling sharply, then let out a playful sigh. “Feels so rewarding to give back to the community, isn’t it?”

 

Riku turned to face her, and eyed her in her outfit. His eyes crept up her long sleeveless arms, toned with strong biceps, then panned up to see her round, gentle face already facing him, her long, silky black hair brushed aside. She looked upon Riku with a light smirk and a mischievous gleam in her reddish-brown eyes. 

 

“Is...there a costume party tonight I’m not aware of?”

 

“Hey, I run the place. I’m allowed to be a little eccentric, right?”

 

It looked as though to Riku she was thrusting her chest out the way she was standing next to him. Her exposed abdomen rippled as she reclined against the parapet. 

 

“You run into Leon yet?” she asked.

 

“He’s the one who called me out here. I was out at the Mansion at the time.”

 

Tifa cocked her eyebrows. “Oh yeah? Did you tell Naminé about the plan?”

 

Riku nodded. “She was...reserved, but she said she’ll do whatever’s in Sora’s best interests. Her words.”

 

Tifa tisked. “I wish it didn’t have to be that way. She’s such a sweetheart, she shouldn’t have to be afraid of everything.”

 

“Can you blame her?”

 

Tifa shook her head knowingly, then perked herself back up. “Maybe I could take her under my wing when she gets here. Show her the ropes.”

 

“Tifa, I’d like to think I know you better than for you to think that’s a good idea.”

 

“Wha—no, not, like a job here at 7th.  _ Gaia! _ I mean, unless she’s curious—” Tifa held her tongue at the sight of Riku’s raised eyebrow. “Okay, okay, put a pin on that. All my girls are fully voluntary anyways. No, I meant me, maybe Aerith too, we could show her around town, be friends for her to rely on. She could be the new Yuffie of the group.”

 

“ _ New _ Yuffie?” Riku asked, chuckling. “What’s happening to the  _ old _ Yuffie? I just saw her, and she looked pretty decent, if a bit hammered.”

 

Tifa made an amused noise in her throat. “Well, she’s fine  _ now _ , but as soon as we wake up Sora, I’m pretty sure she’s going to jump ship to go adventuring with him again. She’s got a bit of a crush on that ‘saviour of the worlds’ friend of yours, you know?”

 

“Hn. That’s...actually quite considerate of you.”

 

Tifa smiled and shrugged. “What can I say? I got something of a motherly side. Just ask Cloud.” Riku snickered at the thought. “‘Sides, it’d be a great time for her to move in anyways. We’re working to get the streets all scrubbed and polished. Crime rate’s been its lowest ever since we took the city back. There’s more and more commercial opportunities growing, now that we’re not preoccupied with just getting by. Certainly doesn’t make me feel as guilty anymore over running a house of vice for a living.”

 

“Supply and demand. I don’t see any issues there.”

 

Tifa smiled. “Of course  _ you _ wouldn’t. What I’m saying is, Hollow Bastion’s finally starting to  _ thrive _ . Who knows, in another four years, maybe all the flowers will start growing back.”

 

Riku nodded, then changed the subject. “Hey, so that new girl I saw tonight—”

 

“Rinoa? You like her?”

 

“I suppose, but it looks like Leon’s been more smitten with her.”

 

“Doesn’t surprise me. Those two met a few months ago, now they can’t keep their hands off each other.”

 

“I heard her call him by his real name tonight.”

 

Tifa let out a huff. “Now...that  _ is _ interesting.”

 

“I’ve never even heard Cid call him that.”

 

“He always beat himself up for what happened all those years ago. To be honest, I mean, I thought it was always a little over dramatic—and I’ll trust you’ll never tell him I told you that—but I still understood. There was guilt in all that.” Riku nodded in acknowledgement.

 

“Now he’s coming out of his shell to Rinoa before the rest of us?” Riku asked. “I mean, not that I’m bitter that none of us were first. If he’s opening up to  _ anyone _ at all, I can’t hold Sq...Leon against anything.”

 

Tifa flickered her gaze back to Riku, that mischievous glimmer returning.

 

“I guess we’re all full of surprises, aren’t we? How we might be willing to change.”

 

Riku sighed. “Change...it feels like that’s the  _ real _ theme of this party.”

 

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Tifa was nudging closer to him, not going unnoticed by Riku.

 

“No, not at all. It’s just...it feels like a lot at once. Leon, Naminé, the city...all growing by leaps and bounds. Makes you think about yourself, y’know?”

 

“Oh, I think I do.” Tifa shamelessly reached for Riku’s hand. Her thumb delicately brushed against the side of his finger. “So, what  _ does _ it make you think about?” Riku gently shut his eyes, letting out a light chuckle. He looked back out into the sunset, nearly completely swallowed by the chasm. After a moment, he spoke back up.

 

“So I guess I was right, then.”

 

Tifa craned her neck and lifted her hand from Riku’s. “About what?”

 

“About Fang being preoccupied.”   
  


Tifa blinked, genuinely confused. “Oh, that. Well, she is, but I put her up to run the tables. This is a respectable establishment, after all. Not that I have to tell you that.”

 

“And you put her to that?”

 

Tifa smirked, continuing to play along. “Well, it  _ is  _ a busy night.”

 

“Busy enough for you to meet me out here?”

 

“I just so happened to free myself up in time to see you out here.”

 

“See  _ me _ , instead of the ‘birthday boy,’ as Claire put it?”

 

Tifa shrugged, almost close to rolling her eyes. “Rinoa snatched him up.”

 

“An hour into the party? I thought the two of them have been inseparable?”

 

Tifa shook her head. “Okay c’mon, is it really that hard to believe I care about the well-being of one of my best patrons?”

 

Riku smirked at her. “Of course. But, from a business standpoint, I would figure you would send one of the girls out to keep me company. Not yourself.”

 

Tifa rolled her eyes, then gently put her hand upon his bicep. “Y’know Riku, I never saw you as the hard-to-get type. You’re  _ really _ gonna make me spell it out, aren’t you?”

 

“I’m not  _ making _ you do anything.”

 

“But you can’t help but be a smart-ass about it, right?”

 

Riku laughed, lifting himself off the parapet, turning to face her. He reached out to secure her hand on his arm, holding it out between the two of them. Tifa’s chest heaved as she took in a deep breath, looking up into Riku’s amber eyes. She fasted her hold on his hand.

 

“Just wondering...why me, of all the other guys?”

 

“You mean aside from my girls’ glowing endorsements?”

 

“Naturally. Could have just been tipping them well this whole time.”

 

Tifa let out a sudden laugh out of Riku’s phrasing, but collected herself. “Leon would just be a conflict of interest. We’re both Restoration Committee members, after all.”

 

“So am I.”   
  


“All due respect, you’re honorary, at best. Cid’s too old, Cloud’s always been like a brother t’me. But  _ you _ , tall, rugged lone warrior, always coming into town, staking out, kicking ass and taking names, and then he skips out without a word. You can’t blame a girl for getting curious about what’s underneath all the mystique and what makes him tick.”

 

“Could have just walked up and asked.”

 

“Be honest with yourself, Riku—do you really think you came across as the approachable type at first?”

 

“Got me there.” 

 

Tifa pulled her hand away from Riku’s, and brought both hands to his shoulders. She started brushing her palms up and down his arms, her fingers lining out the muscle underneath his sleeves.

 

“Buuut…” she continued. “I would call it crazy intuition, but you said it yourself, right? The winds of change being in the air and all. But I wanna hear it from you—would you say you’ve been coming out of that tough shell of yours lately?”

 

Riku’s blood began to surge with his thumping heart, but his eyes momentarily cast downward. “Well, speaking of ‘coming out of one’s shell and all…’ he looked back up at her. “Now, this is gonna sound corny, but...which  _ me _ is it that you’re attracted to right now?”

 

Tifa smiled. “Well, I wanna say I want you for more than just your body, but then again, the last time I saw the ‘real you,’ you were still underage. So this is kind of a loaded question.”

 

Riku continued. “Well, I found out about something about a year ago. I  _ might _ be able to turn back to normal, but I kept putting it off since then. But now, with the Organization gone, I might get the opportunity.”

 

“Well, good thing I made a move on you  _ now _ , before things got  _ too _ weird.” The two shared a laugh together. When it died down,  both their bodies were beset with a trembling energy, their eyes smouldering as they looked into each other’s gaze. Riku’s nostrils flared as he reached for Tifa’s outstretched arms, feeling her own bare biceps.

 

“You’re not gonna be... _ too _ different, will you?” she asked.

 

Riku chuckled. “I honestly have no idea. Would you like to find out?”

 

Tifa smiled. “I’ll have to pencil it in. For now, how’s about I enjoy  _ this _ model before I have to get used to the classic version.” Tifa’s hands then flew to Riku’s waist. She threw him up against her, their chests crashing together. Tifa licked her lips as her thigh pressed up against the hard-on under his heavy robes.

 

Tifa wrapped her hands around his neck. Her fiery red eyes seemed to have a light of their own as the setting sun began to cast the world in darkness. The neon lighting of the balcony lit up, cascading both of them in a dreary red. Their noses were nearly touching.

 

As soon as their lips met, Tifa shoved her tongue into Riku’s mouth, gripping him by the shoulders and pinning him to the parapet behind them. Riku was receptive to her forwardness, drawing his arms around hers, securing her in his embrace as their tongues tangled with each other. Riku let out a huff through his nose, his hands and fingers sweeping across Tifa’s tensing back.

 

Tifa kicked her feet back, hurling her boots off one at a time, then pulled herself off of Riku. They stared down at each other with smouldering eyes, their mouths left open with ragged breaths. Her eyes were fixed on his chest as well, darting back and forth to the mess of chains, zippers and drawstrings.

 

“How the hell do you get out of this?”

 

Riku laughed and reached for Tifa’s hand, drawing it up to the heavy zipper resting at the top of his sternum. “Not as complicated as it looks. Just dark out.”

 

“Hmmm...y’know something funny?”  she snickered, tugging the zipper down Riku’s torso while he unclasped the metal chains around his neck, holding the coat together. “All those times we fought the Organization, I sometimes wondered if they were all naked under these coats. Just that little peekaboo of bare collarbone and all…”

 

Then, with a shrug of his shoulders, Riku’s coat met the floor, and Tifa found her hand brushing up against his hard abs.

 

She paused, then laughed incredulously. “...and I guess I was right.”

 

Tifa lecherously eyed Riku up and down, taking in the sight. His tan skin was coarse and packed with muscle. His waist was noticeably slim with lean legs, but stacked with his wide chest and broad shoulders. All he had on underneath his coat were his boots, laced up to his calves, and a black pair of boxer shorts, one that was straining to contain his budding hard-on. 

 

Tifa lowered to her knees as she looked back up at Riku, seeing his amber eyes burn down onto her like a spotlight. Riku grabbed the parapet behind him for support as she gave his ass a teasing squeeze. It was taut, she could barely dig her fingers into his flesh. She openly sighed at the thought of grabbing this ass, shoving it forward as he thrust into her…

 

“If, uh, if I could clarify...” Riku stammered. Looking down, Tifa looked up at him, sporting a coy smile as her face was nestled up against his groin. She was unlacing his boots and throwing them aside, all while not breaking away from his eyes.

 

“T-th-these coats have a bad rap, for sure b-but _ ahhhh _ …” her warm breath was billowing onto his cock, through his shorts. “But they’re—they’re so insulated, you can really wear them anywhere. I-It’s not like I dressed like th— _ oh, fuck _ —this on purpose. R-Really, maybe if we touch ‘em up a bit, give ‘em out to the Committee…”

 

Tifa hurled Riku’s boots aside, then grabbed his waistband as she rose back to his level. “Hey, whatever gets you naked sooner.” She planted her lips against his once more. “That’s the 7th Heaven motto.”

 

Tifa playfully licked the tip of her tongue around the corners of Riku’s lips as she began pumping his cock. He was already erect, he had to be. She figured at least eight inches, and delectably thick. Her pussy gave a twitch as she tugged on Riku’s length, making him grunt.

 

She’d never been as horny as she was here, in Riku’s arms. All the months—maybe even years, she wasn’t in the head space to do the proper math—of cursory glances, flirtations, budding tension at every Committee meeting, it had all led up to this, and she was reveling in it. Tifa always knew of the attention a woman like herself gets. She got off on teasing, on playfulness. To her, it weeded out the fickle ones, the ones who just wanted to motorboat her boobs and come inside of her with no foreplay. She could  _ feel _ how violently aroused he had become,  _ hear _ it with the forceful gusts of breath he was exulting.

 

Aside from her boots, she was still clothed, and yet Riku was bare naked and with a raging hard-on. Tifa loved she was able to get him this riled up without even having to flash her tits.

 

Then again, she might have spoken too soon. Riku’s mouth pulled away from Tifa’s lips and maneuvered downward, kissing and licking on her neck. Tifa went along with it, cradling the back of his head as he lowered further, to her collarbone, to her chest, until suddenly he withdrew entirely. Grabbing the fabric of Tifa’s top in both hands, he let out a grunt as he tore the garment in half.

 

Tifa gasped, though less in shock and more in exhilaration, ending with a snorting laugh as her breasts rippled scandalously, free from their confines. She smiled proudly as Riku took in the sight of her, shimmying her now ruined top and leather jacket down her arms, plopping to the floor. 

 

Riku dove down to Tifa’s chest, closing his mouth around the red-brown areola of her left breast as both his gloved hands moved to caress her right. Tifa purred as he drew his tongue up and around the firm flesh of Tifa’s breast, while his hands cupped and squeezed their curvature. His heated breath made Tifa’s nipples harden, her heart jackhammering at his touch. 

 

Tifa arched her head to the balcony’s ceiling, her already dreary eyes blurring as she fixed her gaze to the bright neon light hanging above her. So many men had ravaged her bosom in the heat of the moment over the years, kneading on it in disbelief that they were real, desperately trying to memorize them by touch as if they would never see them again—in most cases, they were correct on that. Riku lavished Tifa’s breasts with such enthusiasm that she couldn’t help but swoon. He moved his head from one breast to the next, delving his tongue across her smooth flesh. At some points, he paused to take as much of her breast in his mouth as he possibly could, suckling upon her aching nipple. 

 

Tifa’s fingers raked through Riku’s silver hair as he smothered his face between her tits. As much as she wanted to savor Riku’s affection, she couldn’t deny the ache between her legs, not to mention the throbbing cock rubbing against her thigh.

 

“I...know this might be a real shocker,” she panted, “but I’ve had enough breastplay to fill several lifetimes…”

 

Putting her hands back onto his shoulders, she shoved him down to his knees. Riku complied, dragging his tongue all along the hard grooves of her abs. 

 

“Mmmm! S-still, how’s about you put that tongue somewhere else besides my tits?”

 

Riku pulled back and went to unfastening Tifa’s cyan belt buckle. She giddily gyrated her hips, helping him shuck her skirt down her long, powerful legs. She shut her eyes and bit her lip as she felt his heated breath billowing against her cunt.

 

“Ohhhh fuck, that’s it…”

 

Tifa hoisted herself up against the parapet behind her, arms spread out to their limit, while Riku gripped her ass in his hands while he licked up and down her lower lips. With her eyes shut, Tifa moaned as she threw back her head and raised her leg over Riku’s shoulder. She rocked her thighs as she felt Riku’s tongue stabbing into her.

 

“Oh fuck yes, Riku!” she cried, now throwing both her legs over his shoulders, ensnaring his head between her thighs. “Eat my fucking pussy!”

 

Riku’s nose huffing in the sparse moments he paused to breathe. The sweet juices pouring from Tifa’s pussy were intoxicating to him, and the way she writhed and squealed at his tongue only excited him even more. 

 

She was now thrusting herself up into his face, beckoning him to delve his tongue even deeper. “Holy fucking shit, Riku! No wonder the girls all love you!”

 

Reopening her eyes, Tifa looked over at the tinted glass bordering one wall of the balcony. One-sided, of course. Her heated mind simmered at the thought of one of her girls, her staff, other Committee members catching a peek of their boss and friend naked and disheveled. Each and every jerking movement of Riku’s swarming tongue was slowly turning her steel-hard thighs into jelly. Tifa grew light-headed in her ecstasy, and the thought of being seen or even being walked in on turned her on even more. Tifa wasn’t the type to let herself get into an ego trip, but her mind thrilled at the idea of her exercising her authority if anyone would dare to interrupt her and Riku. Not when she’s waited so long for this.

 

Riku’s pervasive tongue built Tifa ever closer to a deliriously high climax. Riku himself was only vaguely aware of Tifa thrashing about up against the wall of the parapet and kept drilling his tongue in and around her warm folds. Her juices daubed his jaw and ran down her thighs, his mind was awash in lust at her taste, at her smell. 

 

“Oh Gaia, yes! Yes! Oh, fuck yes!” she squealed. “Keep doing it, Riku. Keep eating out my fucking pussy! Oh, I love it! Fuck!”

 

Tifa’s body spasmed as she released her arm’s grip against the stonework, with Riku quickly maneuvering to grab her by both her ass cheeks to keep her up against the parapet’s edge with his mouth still fastened to her cunt. She looked down, cooing at the sight of his eyes shut and his face still buried between her thighs. She reached down and dug her fingers into his long, silver mane of hair. She bucked her hips, screwing her pussy against his mouth as she screamed with joy, twisting and undulating her whole body as she was assaulted by her long-awaited climax. 

 

“Ohhfuckriku, I’m comiiiing!” she gripped both hands against his scalp, and in turn Riku eagerly lapped up the cum oozing from Tifa’s cunt. In a sudden jerking motion, she hunched herself inward, shoving her hands against his head, and with that Riku lost his balance and tumbled backward to the ground. Tifa’s reflexes caught both of them, with her securing one hand behind Riku’s head, and the other bracing the floor below them.

 

All the while, Tifa kept on coming, creaming all over Riku’s mouth, until eventually she fell over, landing on her stomach.

 

Sweat pooled onto the floor from Tifa’s flushed face, her breasts jiggling with her panting breaths. Lifting herself up and climbing off of Riku, she crawled on her hands and knees, and her eyes widened when she saw Riku’s cock, bulging from his groin, standing up like a spire. She saw Riku look back up at her, a gleam in his eyes and a sincere earnest grin, all with her juices smeared along his mouth and chin.

 

He motioned to seat himself up, but Tifa drew out her hand, pushing him down against his forehead.

 

“No,” she murmured. “S...stay on your back.”

 

Riku craned his chin against his breastbone as he looked upon Tifa, both of them staring at one another with lustful, half-opened eyes. 

 

“And finally…” she whispered, gripping the base of Riku’s shaft, “I get to see what all the fuss is about.” She brushed Riku’s cock along her soft cheeks, leaving a small streak of pre-cum along her face, eyeing down his member with wide, hungry eyes. Before Riku had time to process it, Tifa’s mouth was open and around his cock. He let out a groan as she started sucking him.

 

“Ohhh Gaia...T-Tifa…”

 

Tifa sucked hard on Riku’s cock. Working her mouth up and down, she savored the taste of his shaft, and moaned whenever her tongue picked up the salty tinge of his precum. She looked up at him as she drew in her cheeks and took his dick up into her throat, her saliva drooling onto his balls. He was looking back at her, his face twisted into a lusty grimace. His eyes flaring, brow furrowed, teeth bared. It made Tifa think for a moment that she was sucking off the villain that this face belonged to, not the hero. 

 

She coughed as she released his prick from her mouth, chuckling hoarsely as she pumped his shaft with ease thanks to its coat of saliva. His nostrils flared as he watched her lift herself, holding his cock steady as she hovered over it and eased it down into her pussy. 

 

“Ahhhh...” she moaned, squeezing her thighs against his waist as she settled her ass down into his groin. “So fucking thick...it’s like you're fucking me with...Cloud’s fucking sword…”

 

Riku snorted haughtily at the comparison, bringing his hands to her thighs, steadying her. Tifa bit her lip, twisting her hips as she settled both hands down upon his lean stomach. He was filling her so thoroughly. She shuddered as she felt his hands trace behind her legs, groping both sides of her ass in each hand. He huffed as he tested the pliant flesh of her buttocks, kneading the soft skin with his fingertips and feeling the hardened muscle that lay beneath.

 

Tifa shared Riku’s chortling laugh as she began gyrating her hips, grinding his cock against her clit. She lifted herself off his torso, brought her hands up to her hips, guiding them up against the dimple of her tiny waist, over the ridges of her ribcage, until finally cupping her breasts in each hand. She lowered her eyes, baring her teeth as she exhaled through her mouth. She flicked her erect nipples with her thumbs, sending waves of pleasure across her body, her melon-sized tits swelling in sensitivity as her breath grew deeper.

 

She drew her hands even higher upward, her breasts rippling as they were released from her grip, settling her fingers up past her jaw. Her eyes were fully closed now, her face tingling at her touch, raking her fingers through her silky hair.

 

Ruffling her hair, Tifa suddenly shifted herself. Her abdomen tensed as she leaned back, slowly and eloquently. She reached for Riku’s ankles, and once her grip was secure, she unfurled her legs, arching her knees and planting her feet flat on the floor, astride from Riku’s waist.

 

“Ohhhh fuck…” Tifa’s eyes rolled to the back of her head as she rode Riku’s cock. Riku arched his chin on his breastbone, taking in the sight. Tifa’s athletic body had the grace of a gymnast by which she rode him, her limbs flexed, her abs tensing. A ripple went along her thighs every time her flesh crashed into his groin and lifted herself back up again, and after a while the thrusts were so strong her firm breasts would begin to jiggle at the movements as well. Riku’s eyes became fixed on Tifa’s pussy lips swallowing up his stiff cock with every bound of her body. Her labia spread wide every time she sank down atop him. His cock throbbed and her clit flared every time she took him to the hilt. She rode him slowly, confidently, taking in her pleasure like a fine wine.

 

The two lost all sense of time as Tifa rode him, her mind and body joined as one as she sank down on his cock again and again. She dug her fingernails into his ankles as her neck limply rocked her head from side to side, her long hair flailing about, tickling Riku’s thighs. Riku quivered as he largely laid motionless, taken aback by the beauty of Tifa’s lovemaking. He gritted his teeth as his cock swelled around the tightness of her cunt, something that Tifa could feel as well.

 

“C’mon...fuck me, Riku,” she breathlessly whispered. “Give me all you can give…”

 

In a great lunge, Riku lifted himself, knocking Tifa off her feet. She yelped, but then wrapped her arms tightly around his back, her tits crashed onto his chest. She squeezed the walls of her cunt around Riku’s cock as he thrust into her, her legs now thrown out into the air, while he himself had now found his footing, keeping both of them steady. 

 

“Mmmmm, yes! Ohhhhh—fuck me with your huge fucking cock Riku! I need it ALL!”

 

“You got it all, you got my whole fucking cock!”

 

Coiling his own strong arms around her, Riku rolled again onto his back, but kept Tifa in his secure embrace. He cupped his hands around Tifa’s buttocks, his clutching hands leaving reddened marks where his fingers dug into her naked ass. In his grip, he shoved himself deeper into her, his cock filling her with every thrust.

 

Tifa cried out in ecstasy as Riku impaled himself into her, their flesh clapping together as her drilled himself balls-deep into her pussy. He secured her open mouth with his own, and she continued to moan as they kissed each other ravenously, their tongues more wild and rambunctious than before. 

 

“Ohhhh Riku, Ohh baby, you’re fucking me so goood!” She glanced up at the tinted window back into the bar, only seeing her reflection. She was sure by now she had some kind of an audience, out in the open like this. She entertained the idea of who it was who could be watching her for a brief second, before a slap to her ass from Riku had her biting her lip and moaning again. “Fuuuck, Riku. You’re the best!”

 

Riku huffed. “But you already knew that, right?”

 

She hungrily swarmed her tongue in and around his mouth, Riku arched his knees and began thrusting into her pussy. Tifa whimpered as Riku held her tightly by the shoulders, pumping into her like a jackhammer. She rocked her body back and forth, matching Riku’s strokes as she slammed herself onto his prick.

 

Lifting herself up, she grabbed Riku by the back of his head and shoved his face into her cleavage. 

 

“Oooooh yesss, ohhh Riku, I fucking love it!” His balls smacked loudly up against her ass as he pistoned his cock inside her. Her shoulders and biceps tensed as she secured him in her embrace. The crest she had been riding was about to crash soon, and in her haze she wanted something to hold onto for dear life.

 

“Ohhhh Gaia, you’re gonna make me fucking come!” she screamed. “Iiiii want all your fucking cum! All of it!”

 

Riku threw his head back, desperate for air. “Then you’ll...fucking get...all of it! Awwww fuuuuck!”

 

The first shot of jism firing off into her set Tifa off. Her body seized up,  thrashing violently as she came alongside Riku. He kept fucking into her, every other thrust seeming to unload load after load of cum, overflowing Tifa’s throbbing cunt, spilling down her legs. The two held tightly onto one another as their orgasms ravished one another, Tifa mewling, almost sobbing with joy while Riku bellowed through gritted teeth.

 

Just as Tifa felt her orgasm was petering out, a smaller one sent shivers along her body, and she locked her lips with Riku’s, moaning sweetly into his mouth as her body trembled one final time. Riku descended onto his back, exhausted. He knew he had finished coming, but his cock was still resting inside Tifa and could feel her inner walls still pulsating around him. It was all Riku could do not to be overwhelmed and fire himself off all over again. Instead, he put his attention into comforting Tifa, stroking her back and melding his tongue with hers.

 

Eventually, he slipped out of her, and Tifa limply lifted herself off of him and fell to his side, shoulder to shoulder. Her breasts rose and fell to her panting breaths.

 

“Holy...fucking shit,” she wheezed, reaching with her left hand to fondle his jaw. “That was...that was  _ sooo _ worth the wait.”

 

Riku smiled bashfully at her, with such earnest it made Tifa giggle. “Part of me wishes there didn’t need to have  _ been _ a wait.”

 

“Well hey, what’s past is past, right? Let’s just live for the now.” Tifa rolled herself to her side, coiling her legs around Riku’s right thigh, and started brushing her hand against his broad chest.

 

Riku laughed, then let his smile go slack and looked up blankly at the ceiling. “Well, I hope you’re not  _ too _ attached to this version of me.”

 

“Well, that depends,” she said, reaching down to his prick. “How  _ much _ is going to change?”

 

Riku laughed. “Well...I’ll probably have the same voice.”

 

“Could’ve fooled me, with pipes like that.” Tifa lifted herself up on her elbow. “Well, hey, the night’s still young. Would you like to get back to the party, or...retire for the evening?”

 

Riku lifted his back up off the ground, propping himself on his elbows. “I think I’ll let  _ you _ make that call.”

 

She smiled, then kissed him tenderly on the cheek. “Reno’s still working security in my private room, but I have a manual wall divider that blocks him off from my bed and bathroom. Just so I can keep business and pleasure separate when needed.”

 

Laughing, Riku fully rose to his feet. He looked down at Tifa—her body stained with sweat, her hair mussled, cum caked along her thighs. He was growing flushed with lust all over again.

 

“Lead the way, Madame,” Riku said, grabbing his coat. “Would you like me to carry you there?”

 

“Such a gentlemen!” Tifa gushed as Riku wrapped her in his jacket and picked her up in his strong arms. She curled up in his embrace. “Mmm...you were right. These things  _ are _ warm.”

 

Riku strolled toward the exit, pushing the door open with his back.

 

“You’re not going to clean up after us?”

 

Riku smirked. “But you can get one of your girls to do that, right?”

 

Tifa grinned, nuzzling herself against his bicep. “Now you’re thinking right.” As Riku strolled down the hall, the pounding music of the party still going on echoing in the back. Tifa felt as though she was glowing, utterly content.

 

Nothing could ruin this moment.

 

***

 

“Do you trust me, Naminé?”

 

Naminé’s heart was swelling in her chest. Her blood was racing, yet she could barely budge an inch. She stood there, immobilized, fixated on the big blue eyes staring back at her, eyes that weren’t too dissimilar to her own. 

 

Naminé was afraid, but not because of Xion. She held Naminé’s trembling hand within her gloved one, holding her steady, calming her nerves. Naminé’s knees buckled, her legs shivering, while Xion stood tall, poised, refined, even with her being half a foot shorter than the blonde. 

 

Naminé focused on Xion’s eyes. They conveyed sincerity, honesty, but they also conveyed abject fear. It was all Naminé needed to be convinced that the threat Xion laid out to her was not to be taken lightly.

 

Xion repeated her question. “Naminé, do you trust me?”

 

“Y...yes…” Naminé responded with barely a whisper.

 

Xion tightened her hold on Naminé’s hand. “So you trust me when I say that doing this is best for everyone involved?”

 

Naminé felt too choked up to respond, and merely nodded. Xion nodded back, and pulled out Sora’s wayfinder from her pocket, placing it in Naminé’s hand.

 

Naminé managed to find her voice. “Kairi...Kairi always wanted Sora to give this back to her. Literally dreamed it.”

 

Xion lowered her eyes and nodded. “I...I know. Believe me. But she needs proof that he’s alive.” Xion pressed the Wayfinder into Naminé’s palm. “Protect her, Naminé. I’m counting on you.”

 

Naminé couldn’t meet Xion’s eyes, and began to meander to the portal behind her. Xion tugged on the hold she still had on Naminé’s hands, and the blonde jerked back to her.

 

“Naminé…” Xion pleaded, following a pregnant pause. She cleared her throat and continued. “We’ll meet again someday, and what you’ve done for me right here is going to save all of us in the long run. You...may not know it’s me, but just know I’ll always be there, and I’ll find some way to thank you for this.”

 

Naminé smiled weakly, and Xion released her hand. The portal dissolved shortly after engulfing Naminé, and Xion was alone, with the droning hum of the chamber filling the silence. 

 

With a deep, tiring sigh, Xion turned around, facing Sora, still kept in gentle slumber. With a steady hand, Xion reached for the controls, and with a whirr and pressurized release, the cyro-chamber had begun to reopen.

 

“Time to wake up…”


	3. Sora

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to ArdenWolfWatcher, DJ_Ethan and Valkyrja for feedback (The first one especially, having sat through multiple revisions of this particular chapter over more months than I would care to admit).

The morning sun stirred Xion from sleep, but it was only when her eyes fluttered open and looked upon who was across from her in her bed was she truly awake. 

 

It was a sight Xion was grateful she was able to see each and every morning. She slept on her back, though her body was angled towards Xion. Her long legs were strewn about, with one arm resting across her belly with the other dangling off the edge of the bed. The ray of light from the rising sun fell onto her chest but ended short of her collarbone, leaving her still sleeping soundly with her lips slightly parted.

 

Xion’s eyes, still groggy, was drawn to her lover’s breasts, high and firm, watching her almond-colored nipples going into and out of the sunlight as her chest rose and fell to her breathing. Xion’s gaze traveled downward, to her flat stomach and sharply curved hips. Her musculature was subtly woven all along her honeyed skin, soft but strong curves outlining her tall, leggy body. Xion looked back up, admiring her heart-shaped face crowned with short-cut, ruffled tawny blonde hair.

 

Xion smiled to herself, reaching out and gently cupping her lover’s breast in her hand. The blonde inhaled sharply between her lips, but did not awake, even as Xion’s thumb rolled her nipple into a hard stiffness. Xion squirmed closer, careful not to shake the bed, until her face was inches away from her lover’s chest. She drew out her tongue, nuzzling against the blonde’s other breast, and the blonde shivered, her hand slinking off her stomach. Finally, her eyes creaked open, and smiled broadly as Xion continued to caress her breasts with her hands and mouth.

 

She gazed at Xion with those steely blue eyes of hers. They were the same eyes that Xion was using to look upon her, ones that made her heart leap as she stared warmly at her. Xion never considered herself remarkable, but when she felt those eyes upon her, felt the love that radiated from them, Xion felt perfect. She was Xion’s better half, in every sense of the word, the one constant in this crazy life. The blonde took her hand and captured the side of Xion’s face, pulling her closer to her.

 

“‘Morning,” she told her in that raspy voice of hers. 

 

Xion sighed as her lips brushed against her own.

 

“Roxas…”

 

***

 

Xion felt the sand beneath her toes, listened to the crashing of the ocean waves, felt the warm breeze and the sinking sun upon her body. She took it all in, shutting her eyes and sharply inhaled, then sighed comfortably as she exhaled. In bed with Roxas, she knew in her mind that barely a day had passed, but in her heart nearly a lifetime had gone by. A part of her was disgusted to herself to think of it, with what happened to Roxas still so fresh, but another part told her Roxas would have understood, maybe even agreed if she had the chance to stand here alongside her. Xion had never known true comfort, true serenity—not even among Roxas—until now. 

 

She looked upon Destiny Islands with the same quiet joy and pride as Sora surely did...but she knew none of it was real. Then again, neither was she. She stood by as she watched a young silver-haired boy being handed a Keyblade handle-first by an older warrior, standing with broad shoulders and flowing brown hair. The boy's starry-eyed friend sat by the docks, watching the scene seperate from Xion, curious but not enough to interrupt what it was he was seeing. As the warrior spoke an age-old mantra, the young boy reached for the weapon, tentatively at first, but secured his grip on the handle, thus changing the outcome of his and his friend's lives forever.

 

Xion knew only a moment had passed since she stepped into Sora's sleeping pod, but all sense of time had been lost as soon as she found herself in Sora's subconscious, wandering through his memories and sleeping thoughts. It brought contentedness to her spirit, but also a sense of aimlessness. Xion couldn't imagine what it had been like to live like this for four full years. She couldn't anticipate this is what would happen by finally merging back with Sora. She had readied herself to just fade away, sacrificing her life to that Sora may live. It was always taught to her to be the ultimate weakness for a Nobody to commit, openly submitting yourself to be conjoined back with your Somebody. This sense of shame was imbued in Xion from the beginning, yet at the same time the Organization stuck their nose at Xion, deciding for her that to submit to this weakness was her fate anyways, for she was even less of a half-person than a Nobody already was.

 

But Xion ended up outliving all of them anyway, so shows what  _ they _ knew.

 

Xion traversed through Sora's memories for some time now, the scenery shifting around completely by chance. This scene of Riku being blessed with one day wielding a Keyblade then changed, and Xion found herself in Traverse Town, where a fourteen-year-old Sora is receiving combat training from Leon and Yuffie. With every new moment, Xion would be the bystander to a different moment in Sora's life—but after a while, it was no longer exclusive to Sora. As Xion traveled through the labyrinthine maze of Sora's mind, she stumbled into the memories of others, tied to him—Ventus, Vanitas, Naminé, Kairi, even Xion herself. The only absent person was Roxas...Xion’s chest heaved with heartache at the mere thought of it.

 

Eventually, Xion's journey led her going up a flight of stairs, and as she made it to the top the momentum she had been feeling running through Sora's psyche had come to a halt. This room, large with dull neon lighting wrapped around its circular walls, had a serenity to it, no apparent noise save for a light mechanical humming. The room was capped with a tall glass dome, with vibrant stars and blue-green nebulae visible from the outside. Three tall chairs stood in the center of the room, arranged like points in a triangle. One  of the seats was empty, the other had Sora’s keyblade resting against it, and the front seat was reclined. From behind the back of the seat Xion could hair faint snoring.

 

_ Asleep at the wheel, _ Xion thought to herself, chuckling.  _ How fitting. _

 

Sora was flat on his back, his limp neck leaving his head tilted against the back of the chair and his bare feet propped up on the ship’s steering console. A cot blanket was draped over him, exposing his bare shoulders. Reflective of the young man he has grown to be in the real world, Sora's body was tall and muscular, but not overbearingly so. His limbs and torso were still lean, and his matured face, still framed with his wild spiky hair, still had a boyishly handsome quality.

 

Sora stirred in his sleep, whether it be because he was growing aware of Xion's presence, she could not tell. As he squirmed about, his left arm became uncovered by the blanket, and a quick peak of his bare hip confirmed Xion's guess of him being naked under his covers. Xion felt herself growing flushed as she looked upon Sora's face, his lips slightly parted as his chest rose and fell to his breathing. She lifted his limp arm and brought his hand to her face, gliding his fingers along her smooth cheek.

 

“Mmmm...shh...Xion…”

 

Her heart fluttered at his words. He knew her? Did he know she was here, with him, in his mind? Her hands began trembling, so she placed Sora’s arm back onto the armrest so as not to wake him up. Xion didn't know if she was taken aback by Sora's handsomeness, was conflating her prior euphoria with a sense of gratitude for him for indirectly making her feel whole, or was just projecting her grief over Roxas onto him. Xion didn't care about whichever one it was as she lowered her eyes, inhaled slowly and brushed her lips against his own.

 

It was then that Sora woke.

 

***

 

Sora wasn't  _ completely _ shocked at the sight of this girl hovering over him, her nose touching his own and her silky raven hair brushing his face. He was just puzzled that she wasn't Yuffie. Or Snow White. Or, maybe...she was supposed to be both at once?

 

Sora’s sense of time had been lopsided since falling asleep. At first, his mind was just replaying his old memories, likely as Naminé was repairing his mind— _ Wait, how do I remember Naminé? _ After a while, things started to shift around. Sora started seeing things that he didn’t seem to remember living back when he was still awake. He had brief glimpses of a dark beach with black sand, a pale moon and eerie glowing rock formations, but it all grows blurry after that. There was another set of dreams, where he was a keyblade wielder from another place and time. Sometimes there was murmurings of Dandelions and Foretellers, other times he was traveling alongside two dear friends, meeting Snow White, Cinderella, Hercules, Peter Pan—dear friends from whole different lifetimes. Again, the chain of memories grew unclear before long.

 

In his lucid consciousness, Sora reasoned everything was just shuffling around in his head. No matter what the time and place, there always seemed to be the imagery of Sora, no matter what face he wore, sitting aside two friends, all three of them looking out into a sinking sun—or a sea of evening stars—hearts full of hope and ambition. The smaller details just didn’t seem to sync up as well. As Sora’s form in his dreams became more reflective of the young man he presumed he had grown into in real life, he didn’t dwell too much on some of these dreams taking on a more... _ carnal _ context, even with women whom he held no prior infatuation with. He never felt guilt in any of it. He  _ is _ a teenager, and it was  _ literally  _ harmless daydreaming, after all.

 

So when Sora opened his eyes to find himself resting in the cockpit of the Gummi Ship, his first thought was that he had already experienced this scenario, before. Previously, it was Yuffie, or Aerith, or both of them together. But this girl, despite the similar hair and body type, was decidedly  _ not _ Yuffie. Same black hair, similar lithe body, but whereas the “great ninja Yuffie” was lean and athletic, this girl seemed almost frail by comparison. There wasn’t a trace of muscle along her narrow shoulders and thin arms, exposed by the sleeveless black dress she was wearing. Not to mention their eyes were different. But there was also her kissing him, waking him up. Sora could have sworn he heard this story from one of the Princesses of Heart back in Hollow Bastion. Is that happening here too?

 

At first, Sora presumed this was another detail issue, his mind losing the specifics of Yuffie’s look. Then the girl lifted herself away, stepping back did Sora get a better look at her face. She  _ definitely _ had different enough hair from Yuffie, having more of a feathery texture, shaggy and grown down her neck, framing her lovely, cherubic face with bangs. Her skin was pale as milk, her cheeks were soft, and her jaw narrowed down to a dimple of a chin. Through her heavy bangs, Sora could make out her eyes. Big, wide, and crystalline blue. They reminded him of Kairi’s eyes, of Naminé’s...and of his own. To stare into her eyes made Sora feel like he was staring into a mirror. Out of nowhere, a name popped into his head.

 

“Xion.”

 

Xion smiled, letting out a little huff of breath. She stepped back to lean on the curved wall of the cockpit.

 

“Sora,” she responded. “It's nice to finally get to meet you in-person. I really didn't think I was going to get the chance.” Xion was Sora’s “dream-girl”, so to speak. Some of the most recent dreams involved seeing her through her own eyes, but nothing gave the impression to Sora that she was real. Everything he saw through her eyes were people and places he had seen elsewhere. This applied to Xion herself, looking a bit like Kairi, but with some details just a bit off, the biggest one being Xion was a grown woman, something Sora had yet to have the chance to see for Kairi. Xion's silk dress was worn tight around her long, flat torso and softly curved hips, and the skirt trailed down to the floor, somehow both obscuring and highlighting her long, sylph-like legs.

 

“In…’in person’ sounds about right,” Sora mumbled, clearing his throat and sitting up in his seat. “I don’t think I’ve ever met you before.”

 

Xion shook her head. “But I already feel like I know so much about you.”

 

Sora chuckled, running his hand through his hair. “It sounds crazy, but I feel the same way.”

 

“Not crazy at all. I came here to try and wake you up.” Xion stepped over and climbed into the large chair with Sora, snuggling up against him. Sora was more receptive so such an intimate gesture than he expected, naturally bringing his arm around Xion’s waist, pulling her closer as she nestled her head against his shoulder. She did not lift up his covers, preserving his modesty, but his blanket did slink down to around his waist, exposing his bare torso. The two sat comfortably in silence together, the only noise around them was the whirring of the Gummi’s tech and Xion’s gentle sighing breaths as she warmed up to Sora’s embrace.

 

Eventually, Sora broke the silence. “Well, either I’m already awake and in the Gummi Ship for real...or that didn’t work.”

 

“I guess it didn’t,” Xion responded. “The second one, I mean.”

 

“Don’t take this wrong, but how's this gonna work?” Sora chuckled to himself. “If I’m still asleep, should I be waking up about now?”

 

Xion hummed pleasantly, nestling her head against him. “Maybe, maybe not. I’m not really sure. I wasn’t expecting all this, still being myself, meeting you. But I’m glad I did, to have one last time to…” The room fell silent, and Sora felt Xion’s body tense up against him. She looked up at him, those big blue eyes making him shiver.

 

“Sora, let me ask you. What’s the last thing you remember?”

 

Sora leaned his head back, staring off into the dome above them as he recollected. “Castle Oblivion. Marluxia was gone, and...Naminé said she would restore my memories. She looked at me with such pain, she hated herself for what happened, but...I couldn’t bring myself to hate her back. I told her, right before I was put to sleep, that we’d see each other again, and there would be no more lies. I made her  _ promise _ we’d see each other again. Even if I was going to forget about her, I told her the promise was going to keep us connected.”

 

“Forgotten, but not lost,” Xion finished with a flat, wistful tone.

 

Sora was stunned, but assumed Xion knowing Naminé’s words was just part of the dream and continued. “Ever since then, it’s been hard to describe, but...I’ve been aware of  _ some _ amount of time passing by. But there’s so many stops and starts, whole lifetimes that seem separate from my own. I still don’t know where it all begins and ends.”

 

Xion shook her head, her hair tickling his shoulder. “No, I didn’t mean what was the last thing you remember being awake, or what was the last thing you remember being you. This is a little tricky, I know, but I need you to focus and be honest. What’s the very last thing you remember? Look into your heart, think back to right before you woke up in here, with me, and tell me what comes to mind. Even if you can’t explain why, tell me what feels to you like your last pressing memory.”

 

Sora shut his eyes as he tried to play along with Xion’s request. He furrowed his brow as he struggled to sort through a thousand different thoughts, then he gasped as a chill crept up his spine. It was like a bad dream, the sheer terror of seeing that hoard of Heartless swarm through the canyon, the utter panic of fighting for his— _ her _ —life.

 

The fleeting hope as she reached out to Roxas, and the crushing despair of her reach just not being far enough. Sora's heart sank as that defeat overwhelmed her, looking behind one last time, seeing that all-too familiar hooded cloak looking back at her…

 

As Sora fluttered his eyes back open, he thought he was staring back at herself.

 

Wait, no.  _ Him _ self.

 

Sora found his hand to be held by Xion’s, her eyes gleaming as she looked up at him.

 

“You remember, don’t you?”

 

Sora's heart sank as the floodgates of his memories burst. Xion, his “dream-girl,” the person he thought was just a hodge-podge of other thoughts running through his mind...was all real. Not only that…

 

“Xion, I…” Sora muttered. “I remember...I was...I’m  _ you _ .”

 

Xion sighed contentedly. “It worked the way I hoped it did, then,” she explained. “My life started when you feel asleep. I figured you should at least be able to make up for lost time. Wouldn't want you to be a child in an adult's body.” Xion's face suddenly grew serious, seating herself up against Sora. “But that's not all there is. I also needed you to be brought up to speed. You know everything that I've been through. So you know everything with the Organization?”

 

Sora silently nodded. Xion tightened her hold on Sora’s hand, interlocking her fingers with his. “And you remember what brought me here?”

 

He nodded knowingly, the memory provoking him to turn his knuckles white as he clutched at his chair’s armrest.

 

“I don't know who that was, the one in the cloak,” Xion said, “But all that power...he was there for me and Roxas. He wanted to stop you from ever waking up again. That, or he wanted to make us into some sort of empty shell...” Xion paused, staring blankly downward, her lips parted as she lingered on her last words. Sora could see her eyes well up before burying her face in her hands.

 

“Oh Gaia, Roxas...”

 

Sora sat up and reached out, and Xion didn't shy away as her pulled her towards him. The two sat in a quiet embrace, with Xion's body trembling in his arms and her nose sniffling as she wept. Eventually, Xion grew calm again, her slow breath billowing onto Sora's bare shoulder.

 

“I'll find Roxas. I promise.” Sora said to her.

 

Xion pulled away slightly to face Sora. With their noses only inches apart, Sora was relieved to see her with a warm smile again.

 

“You can't be fully whole with just me, but it's a start. Riku and the others are going to need all the help they can get. I already sent Naminé to get Kairi as well.”

 

“K-Kairi?”

 

“She's been able to grow up away from all this chaos. You already know that from me. But she can't afford that luxury anymore, not with what's coming.” Xion caressed his cheek with her hand. Sora couldn't help but let out a slight gasp at her touch. “Besides...she'd really love to see you again, Sora.”

 

Sora’s heart warmed at the mention of Kairi, but one more lingering thought kept him uneasy. “Xion, I don't want you to have to sacrifice yourself just so I can wake up.”

 

Xion let out a sigh, casting her eyes downward. “It can't be helped, Sora. I'm already here. I was worried too, but...this seems so crazy, but...I feel so much better, now that I'm with you. More than I've ever been in my life.” Xion started giggling incredulously as she rested her head back on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him. “Honestly, if I knew what I know now, I would have done this ages ago.”

 

Sora shared Xion's laugh, relieved to see her at ease, but he himself was still confused.

 

“But...we can't...what’s gonna happen to  _ you _ ?”

 

Xion shrugged. “I'm still here, talking to you, seeing you,  _ touching _ you, aren't I?” she said. “Who knows where this will go, let's just see how it plays out.”

 

Sora chuckled, shaking his head and brushing his hand through his hair. “Everyone's been bending over backwards for me for four years, and the whole time I've been taking a nap.”

 

Xion looked back up at him. “So you'll do this?”

 

“Of course. I mean, you, Riku, Roxas, Naminé, Kairi. I am who I am,  _ because  _ of all of you.” The two stared into each other's eyes, and Sora extended his hand, gently brushing his fingers along Xion's soft skin and through her silky hair. “Xion...all that pain you had to carry. It hurts just to try and remember it. You really feel better now here? With me?”

 

Xion opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes wavered as her mouth hung open, her words stuck in her throat. Then she caught Sora's face in her hands and pulled him towards her, sealing her lips onto his. Sora was quickly receptive, returning the kiss, wrapping his arms around her. Sora's own tongue responded, brushing against Xion's as it pushed into her mouth. Xion's body trembled as she swung her leg over Sora’s thigh, settling herself in his lap as he ran his hands brushing up and down her back. Then she pulled away, panting as she arched her face to the ceiling, and Xion laughed as Sora peppered the side of her neck with kisses.

 

“Sora...you don't have a selfish bone in your body, do you?” She giggled, brushing her fingers through his hair. “This  _ is _ a dream, after all. If you want, I could...” Xion gently rested her eyelids, and her ebony hair began to distort, taking on an auburn hue. Sora put both his hands on her shoulders and shook his head emphatically.

 

“No, you don't need to do that. I just...I just want to make  _ you _ feel good. While we're still here together.”

 

Xion smiled, biting her lower lip as her hair color returned to black. She lifted herself out of the chair, slinking herself between Sora’s dangling legs. Her eyes were smoldering as she looked down on Sora, shifting the straps of her dress down her arms and wiggled it down her body. The sight of Xion’s body, now in nothing but a bandeau bra and boy-cut panties, both black, Sora finally cast out that initial dreary confusion between her and Yuffie. Unlike the sporting ninja, whose lithe body was sculpted with trim muscles, Xion looked frail in comparison, with her narrow shoulders and thin limbs. Her small breasts barely filled out her bra, though Sora’s eyes caught her nipples poking up against the fabric. Her belly button was a tiny dimple along her long, lean torso, and her panties hugged around her softly curved hips and trim thighs.

 

“You’re beautiful…” Sora muttered, entranced. Xion blushed at Sora’s sincerity, biting her lip and casting her eyes downward. 

 

“I mean, I could say ‘you already knew that…’” Xion lightly shook her head and smiled at him. “Thank you.” She sank to her knees, grabbing at Sora’s sheets. “You’re not looking too bad yourself…” Xion grabbed the sheets draping over Sora and yanked them off. As Sora adjusted himself, sitting up straight, Xion got an eyeful of his bare body: Tall, lean and toned, strong, wide shoulders with deftly curved biceps. The blanket revealed his chest, then his rigid stomach and thin waist, and by the time Xion balled up the blanket and threw it to the floor, she found Sora to be dressed in  _ something _ —but not for long. 

 

His boxer briefs were strained by the tenting of his prick, his glans pushing up against the waistband, pulling the underwear several inches away from his waist. Xion fell to her knees, bringing her hands along Sora’s inner thighs. He groaned, eyes fluttering, to Xion’s touch, but not in any discomfort. Xion brought her hands higher, bringing one to the bulge of his erection outside his briefs. She thought back to similar encounters in the past, with Axel or Riku. As she did, she openly laughed at the possibility that Sora’s own mind was reeling to such memories,  _ still _ through Xion’s eyes. If he did, he showed no reservations, actively lifting his buttocks out of his seat, helping Xion pull his briefs down his legs. 

 

“Oh,  _ Sora _ ,” Xion moaned, seizing up Sora’s shaft. “You really are a man now…” He wasn’t fully hard, but her closed fist ran up and down eight, nine inches of his shaft as it continued to swell in her hold. Sora’s fingers turned white as he gripped the chair’s armrest, squinting his eyes shut and hissing through his teeth.

 

“Gaia. Oh, Gaia, Xion…”

 

“Do you want me to stop?”

 

“No! Oh, fuck no…” Sora’s heart skipped, briefly appalled at himself for his vulgarity, but as he shot open his eyes, looking down to Xion who continued to slowly pump his prick up and down. His open mouth broadened into a wide smile as Xion’s grip tightened to the growing firmness of his erection. “You’re doing it so wonderfully.”

 

“That’s the difference between a daydream and the real thing, Sora. Well, sort of,” she giggled, cupping his balls in her other hand. “I should say there’s a difference between a teenage fantasy and being with a real woman.” She wasn’t wrong, her slender fingers squeezing him just the right amount.

 

“I’ve been walking around in your head, Sora,” Xion said with a rakish smile. “I’ve seen what you’ve been daydreaming about.” Sora’s face reddened, his cock twitching as Xion kept jerking him off.

 

“This moment is the most focused I’ve been in years,” he said, jokingly shrugging. “I can’t help where my mind wanders.” As Sora spoke, his eyes were drawn to Xion’s chest, her movements becoming so rapid now that her breasts were bouncing as she jerked him off, her stiff nipples raking up and down the cloth of her bandeau. “Ohh Gaia, Xion, you’re... _ fucking _ incredible!” Sora bit his lip and hissed the swear through his lips, the blood surging in his veins making him feel invigorated, more alive than he’d ever felt. He finally pried his hands off the armrests and drew one out to Xion’s chest.

 

“Do you want to feel my breasts, Sora?” she asked, already clamoring back to her feet. “I love touching you, but I would  _ love _ it if you could touch me…”

 

Standing up, Xion was quick to unhook her bra, letting it fall to the floor, her small breasts jiggling. Finally giving herself a pause from frantically jerking off Sora, she lowered her eyes down to his lap, where her big blue eyes grew even wider. Sora’s cock stood out ten inches from his groin, crowned with a purpling cockhead and the shaft nearly as thick as Xion’s wrist. 

 

“Oh, Sora,” she whispered huskily. Looking mesmerized, Xion kneeled over and peeled her panties down her legs. She climbed back into Sora’s chair, swinging one leg around his waist, seating herself in his lap. Xion thrusted her chest into Sora’s face as in offering, and Sora gladly accepted the gesture, burying his face between her breasts.

 

“Ooooh, yes Sora!” she moaned. “That’s so good! Kiss my tits! Kiss them just...just like…” her words trailed off into a whisper, seemingly falling into a state of euphoria, with her head thrown back and her breaths growing rapid, but Sora knew better. He knew whose name Xion was about to say, but couldn’t bring herself to. The grief was something Sora felt as an extension to his memories just as Xion was an extension of himself. Her body trembled all over as he slid his hands up and down her slender back. He didn’t want Xion to have to suffer anymore, he wanted her to feel loved. 

 

Pulling himself away, Sora lightly blew on Xion’s left breast, making her shudder as she wrapped her hands behind his head, then leaned back in, taking her nipple into his mouth, gently grinding it between his teeth. As he kissed his way to the valley between her breasts, Sora cupped the outsides of her tits, bringing them together as he lashed his tongue all around the small cleavage.

 

“Yes! Yes!” Xion wailed as Sora’s hands caressed her tits, thumbing her nipples. Xion leaned in against Sora, slowly grinding her hips in his lap. At this angle, his cock was up against the gates of her sex, and Xion cried out as his shaft brushed up against her clit. “Sora...I need you inside me,” she gasped. “I need to feel your cock in my pussy Sora! I need it!”

 

Sora sucked hard on her right tit, swirling his tongue all around her peach-colored areola as she reached down to bring his cock in her hands. Steadying it, both of them moaned as Sora’s cockhead brushed up against her pussy. Looking down, Sora saw both of Xion’s hands down between them, one gripping his cock at its base and the other spreading open the lips of her sex, the outer folds glistening and pink, as she lowered herself on him. Sora brought his hands behind her, cupping the curve of her ass first before bringing his hands to her hips, holding her in place. Her hardened nipples brushed against Sora’s chest as she lowered herself further, and before long her pussy lips came into contact with her curled fist around his shaft.

 

“Oh,  _ fuck _ , Sora…” she mewled as her body slowly accepted Sora’s manhood. She met Sora’s gaze, looking at him glassy-eyed and dreamy, as she brought one hand to his face and pulled him close, snaking her tongue past his lips. 

 

Sora felt breathless, muttering Xion’s name like a mantra every time their lips briefly parted. Xion placed both her hands on his shoulders, tensing her stomach, rocking her hips—settling herself to the feeling of him deep inside of her. As she did, Sora glided his fingertips gingerly up and down her sides, feeling her skin ripple and body squirm about. She bit his lip as she let her full weight fall onto Sora, taking his cock deep into her pussy. 

 

“You really do…make me feel  _ whole _ ,” Xion muttered with a wheezy laugh, her stiff nipples brushing against Sora’s chest as she shifted from side to side, reveling in him inside her. She wrapped her hands around Sora’s neck and slowly sliding herself up and down his length. Sora brought his hands around the curves of her buttocks, holding her steady as she started to quicken her pace. His glossy eyes darted all around her, taking in the sight—gasping and panting, her eyes fluttering, her breasts rolling. Sora has had countless sex dreams during his rest, but none had ever felt so  _ real _ . He was in heaven. 

 

Xion’s hands cupped the sides of Sora’s face, her breaths becoming whimpers as she coiled her tongue around his. She spread her legs further at the knees as she rode Sora’s prick, with Sora reaching around and cupping both cheeks of her ass as she rode him, his shaft up against her clit sending waves of pleasure along her trembling body. Sora grunted, digging his fingertips into the soft flesh of Xion’s buttocks. Her cunt gripped his cock, sucking and pulling on him as she bounded herself atop him. He squinted his eyes tight, desperate to hold himself off from coming, focusing on the taste and feel of her tongue squirming around in his mouth. 

 

All the fantasies Sora had conjured up while sleeping couldn’t compare to the climax that was about to strike him. Next to Xion in his lap, riding his cock and kissing him ardently, even his dream about him and most of the Princesses of Heart all at once was just a glorified wet dream compared to this. Tension assaulted his stomach, his thighs, his prick, before it was all released at once.

 

“Sora!” Xion wailed, her head up to the cockpit’s ceiling.  “You’re coming! Ohh, Gaia, I can feel you coming inside meee!”

 

Neither slowed down as Sora came, with Xion gripping Sora’s shoulders as she slammed herself down even harder into Sora’s loins. Sora lunged himself, every thrust and smack of his hips into hers unloading another burst of cum from his prick. He wrapped his arms around Xion’s back and pulled her chest into his face, tonguing and nibbling on her hard nipples, moving from one to the other. Xion clenched her eyes, unable to stop from sobbing out loud, the hot rush of Sora’s cum sent her body bursting into flames as her own climax enveloped her. Her pussy clamped down on his prick as his cum flooded her. She slowed herself as she felt the last of his cock’s spasms, twisting her hips and grinding her body, savoring the feel of his flagging hard-on still inside her. Sora’s neck went limp as he arched his head against the back of the seat, his breath panting and eyes fluttering. 

 

Xion took a long shuddering breath, both her and Sora’s bodies slick with sweat. She felt balanced, utterly content, radiating in the throes of her orgasm and the warmth of Sora’s body beneath her. Xion eventually staggered as she lifted her self off of Sora, his softened prick slipping out of her as she cuddled up next to him.

 

They silently embraced, hearts still racing and skin still tingling, only occasionally drawing in closer for a tender kiss. The two looked up through the dome at the stars together, until finally small streaks of white light started to zip by past the glass, more and more until space was engulfed in the light. It was then that Xion broke the silence.

 

“Looks like we’re finally reaching our destination,” she dreamily muttered.

 

Xion shivered as Sora brought a hand to lift Xion's jaw and gingerly kiss away the tears that streamed her cheek. Sora leaned in and kissed the top of her head. “I can't...I couldn't begin to thank you for what you've done for me, helping me wake up after all these years..” 

 

She kissed him back, then settled her head on his shoulder. “You can do it by going out, fight what’s coming...be the hero...everyone believes you are...that you know...in your heart of hearts...that you are…”

 

Xion’s words trailed off as she was beset by a tremendous sleepiness as the light from outside grew more and more strong. After a while, as she drifted off, she could no longer hear the whirring of the Gummi Ship computer, or even the warm sensation of Sora’s bare body curled up against her own. The seat itself started to feel different as she laid in it. What Xion started to feel was…

 

...Sunlight. Morning sunlight.

 

Xion opened her eyes. Roxas was across from her, smiling at her, already awake. They were back in their bed, frozen in time.

 

“Morning,” she said to Xion with a smile, outstretching her arm and brushing her bangs out of her eyes. Xion blushed, then took Roxas’ hand in her own, planting a slow kiss on the back of it.

 

“It’s been done,” Xion said. “I’ve set Sora out on his path.”  

 

Roxas moved closed, kissing Xion’s cheek. “Scared?”

 

“No, not at all. I’ve never felt so fearless before in my life.” Xion kissed Roxas back, soothing her hands along her body. “I...I know you’re not real. But...I’m so sorry I couldn’t…”

 

“It’s okay,” Roxas said, pulling Xion into an embrace. The two laid there, their noses touching.

 

“I’ll get you back,” Xion said. “And we can be together here, for real.”

 

“I know you will.”

 

Xion nestled herself on Roxas’ shoulder, comfortably closing her eyes. “Gone…”

 

“...but never lost,” Roxas finished.

 

***

 

Riku’s heart dropped.

 

It wasn’t unlike him to be unable to sleep a full night. He pulled himself out of Tifa’s bed, sat down by her desk and started pouring away at her stash of rum to try and get himself back in a sleeping mood. It almost worked, his eyes feeling heavy as he looked at Tifa’s figure still resting in her bed, her sheet-covered chest rising and falling to her breathing cast in her room’s dim red lighting. 

 

Then, a surge went through his veins, his nerves were shot as he jumped out of his seat, grabbing the corner of the desk to keep himself steady after all the rum. He didn’t know what came over him at first, but one thing came to mind, something he couldn’t decide if it made him full of elation or dread.

 

“...Sora?”

 

***

 

Kairi awoke with a gasp.

 

She might have flung herself out of bed, had she not been pinned down, Irvine groaning as he tussled about, still asleep, but not letting go of the hold his arm had around Kairi’s waist. Selphie, spooning Kairi, settled even closer to the redhead. Kairi’s mind was swirling, trying to remember the dream that woke her up, but the details were already growing thin. Selphie’s room was pitch-black, an overcast night obscuring the night sky that otherwise would have illuminated the space through the open window. 

 

Dreary, Kairi rested her head back onto Irvine’s shoulder and began to drift back to sleep, spreading her arm across his broad chest. Before she fell back to sleep, one name drifted past her mind and through her lips.

 

“S-Sorrraaa…”

 

***

 

The young man sensed something.

 

He was sitting cross-legged over a canyon ledge when an unnerving feeling broke his meditation. Shirtless, his long hair trickled down his back with the gentle winds. It would normally take a lot for something or someone to pull him from his trance, but he was anticipating being struck with this feeling. It meant that everything was falling into place.

 

He opened his eyes. Extended to the horizon was the evening sun sinking into the mountains. The young man couldn’t help but think of a similar sight, a lifetime past, that first set his life in motion. The small village could be seen stretched miles out from the canyon where he sat, but much closer to him was the blonde girl. The body was still alive, breathing and twitching to the draft, but the soul carved out from her left her face still and her eyes lifeless. It was foolish for a half-being such as her to attempt to fight back against his horde. The other girl, the one who was even less than half, had managed to escape, but only because the young man allowed it. The premonition he felt meant that she did precisely what he was anticipating, and with her sacrifice the boy had finally awoken.

 

The young man rose to his feet. For so long he had grown used to an old, frail body, resorting to magicks and Darkness to imbue him with strength. Even with the rejuvenation of youth, he contained himself just as he did as an old man, with patience. But said patience briefly waned with the gentle breeze as an atypical giddiness came about. All these years of waiting, of biding his time and setting everything into place, and the fruits of his diligence would soon be rewarded to him. 

 

He lowered his eyes as he took in a long breath of the canyon air. Exhaling, Xehanort outstretched his arms as he grinned broadly—and chuckled proudly.

 

“Sora…”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that finally concludes the first arc in this series. I apologize for the lengths it took to finally get this out; a combination of personal preoccupations as well as being far too ambitious with the dream setting for this one. 
> 
> Thanks to all those who have checked out my work thus far, and a special thanks to those who have commented, bookmarked and left kudos. The first entry to the next chapter, as well as many other projects, will be coming out much quicker than six months per entry from now on, I promise. In the meantime, allow me to plug Tracy Scops, whom I have continued to work with and who will be releasing two of her Spider-Man parody comics that I helped script over the next two months. If you like my stuff and have some money to spend, be sure to check out her Patreon.


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